If you manage to read this extremely long post then well done. I really could do with some ideas as to what sort of questions I can throw at these people this afternoon.
Well ladies today is the day I have to submit my decission to the LEA as to which school J will be going to if he returns to school in Sept.
Ive got a big Pow Wow with the LEA officers this afternoon. There are going to be so many professionals there and Im going it alone as DH is tied up with other commitments.
EP, CP, School Doctor( cus she has a very warped opinion of ASD!), OT, o'rrible Paed, SALT and two LEA officers will all be there from the local services.
Our independant EP and CP are coming along as is the link education teacher, Liz.
The first group of professionals apart from the SALT do not accept the independent CP's dx of Autism....but we knew that would happen...."funding", "budgets" and the words "lack of" spring to mind!! Dont accept the dx = cost cutting cus they dont have to provide services!!
CP as you know was refferred to us by NAS and worked at Elliot House under Lorna Wing for many years....he really knows his stuff and is very highly thought of in neighbouring counties.....so the lack of the local profesionals recognition of the dx doesnt concern me at all. What they know about ASD they could write on the back of a postage stamp and still have space remaining!
Our CP has made a suggestion to the LEA that they provide an ASD unit within a mainstream school for the ever growing numbers of children that are being dx with "the active but odd" dx of Autism.
He reports that this is the only placement that would offer J the educational provision that would fully meet his needs and if they do not do this they will be negligent by not providing an adequate educational setting.(I'm starting to wish solicitor chappie had been invited to attend!)
Our EP fully agrees with the CP's dx and recommendations as does Liz, the home teacher and SALT.
We have "looked at" all options available with schooling J at either a local mainstream or local special school. We have also "looked at" a residential school which is 70 miles away from home. Whilst this school would be a fantastic placement for J, I cant bring myself to send him away each week and of course the LEA would refuse funding because according to our idiot Paed J does not have a dx of Autism.....his opinion is that J has and I quote "just SPD and Autistic like tendencies". Lorna Wing is sending him her research into Semantic-Pragmatic disorder....then lets see what the smug git has to say about SPD not being an ASD!!!!
CP is suggesting that we approach the LEA and request funding to send J to the residential....fight our battle to secure funding and then when LEA have agreed to do this we tell the we dont want it! BUT instead they can use the however many thousands it will cost to educate J for the next 7 yers at the residential school, to make available a ASD unit attached to a local mainstream school. This unit would be able to accomaodate 6 children for the same ammount as it would cost to send one child to a residential school. Considering the LEA's are always banging on about lack of funding one would like to think that they would take on board our cost cutting plan....they sure know how to waste money!!!!
Does that make sense? I know of one other mom who has done this in South Devon.
Its going to be one hell of a battle and will probably skint us out with solocitors bills.....but I have to get J into a school where he will flourish and achieve his full potential.
So wish me luck. Keep your fingers crossed for me. It would be so lovely if he LEA would roll over and play ball....but somehow I dont think they will....well not without a battle first!
Ye hah!!! DH has just phoned to say his meeting has been cancelled.