so you wait 9 months for an OT appointment...

[mummysaurus]

and when you finally get your assessment the OT tells you brightly that your dc is behind and does need help and she'll send some photocopies of exercises for you to do with your dc. And that's it.

So obviously my local health authority is placing great faith in us parents. The same OT told me that she'd trained for 4 years so how can we be expected to do what she can do with the help of a piece of paper?

I said to her that in theory I could probably do dental work on my kids or give them an eye test and make some glasses with aid of google and a few rudimentary tools but that nobody would think that appropriate or adequate.

Also it seems her ideas centre round playing outside, painting, cooking etc. He does loads of this anyway with me and at nursery and it would be hard for me to do more than i do as i have a v demanding 1 year old as well.

we are lucky to be able to afford for him to go once a fortnight to a v good private 0T but at 60 quid an hour its not cheap.

She did sort of agree it was rubbish but there is no actual treatment for anyone at the moment and is going to give me some info on how to complain.

ok rant over - thanks for reading

To share with like minded friends, family and colleagues.
Yes, I see so many things in schools (and I go to very many) where I just think 'What on earth is the point or purpose of that?'

Hi moondog

I agree it's not the nhs problem that i have another child. I wasn't suggesting that the nhs should take this into account i was just having a rant about how it was hard to fit it all in sometimes - and if that's not allowed on mumsnet then we might as well close the whole forum down

you have a point about parents often being well placed to do the "therapy". We do loads with both our kids and I guess we need to find the time to do even more

to say that a lot of intervention is crap does not excuse the fact that in my case there is none on offer

And yes, I do feel entitled to regular and appropriate treatment from professionals to help my son reach his potential (whatever that is).

Ds has a referral to an 'outreach' centre, is this code for 'we cant cope, so will palm you off'?

I know Mummy and there is no stronger parent advocate than me.
I agree, this is a place to let off steam but once in a blue moon I have to point a few things out.

I been in fortunate postion where have been able to spend one day a week helping in ds school due to him being my youngest think would have struggled a lot more if had any younger dc so you that do I sympthaise

and must admit it has been eyeopener to how much work it is and how teachers have to cope with very little usefull training and with lots of differnt personalties and i am meaning the ones considered Nt.

Infact I would say ds is one of their easiest children as he is passive but thats a whole another story and a Lea fight

I go in help but real reason behind it is so I can keep eye on what ,my sons 1-1 is doing with him and be on spot for any questions advice. All with mind for when his statement review is due , which i will be calling early

Having children with SEN (or no sen even) is anyway a tough job - I don't think anyone is suggesting otherwise.

The provision is pathetic. The fact that ds is easy and doesn't hinder my attempts at therapy is neither here nor there. It doesn't mean that the NHS/LEA are any better than they are.
Parents aren't a substitute for the NHS. But that's what it works out to be.
Again, I know they have huge caseloads - much bigger than they are supposed to have so it's not not an individual therapists fault...

Really sorry as I haven't read the whole thread - just wanted to share our situation.

DS1 only gets to see the OT once a year and she prepares a programme for him. However, I don't have to do this at home. The school do it with DS after the OT works with the LSA to teach her how to do it. DS does do it with another boy now but he is in school every morning at 8.30 and they spend 20 minutes going through the programme 4 days a week.

I know that the OT services are incrediably overstretched. Our OT was the only one in our hospital because of staff illness and vacancies. She is snowed under and I think she does the best she can in the circumstances.

Getting the school to help out seems to be the way to go. They are better equipped, have more space and their LSA should all have some experience (or be prepared to learn) already. DS is making progress, more than he would with me. He has a very strong sense of what is school life and what is home and I have enough trouble getting him to do his homework when all school work should be done in school according to DS. I do not need the struggle of getting him to do therapy too so I am very grateful that they do this.

I don't have a problem with our provision but I do think the schools should be prepared to help out more.