I'm in an awful, horrendous situation and need help...

[PatCoombes]

DD (ASD and statemented) is due to start a new Junior school in September.

I went to visit the Headteacher today to ascertain the schools' suitability for DD. I already have my doubts. The Head seems totally ambivalent, to the point of dismissive, when it comes to SEN children. Displaying a totally can-don't attitude, she tells me that they have no budget to top-up existing supported hours and that they have a dearth of teaching assistants. She then asks me if DD 'is on medication, because it can transform kids, you know', and I get the distinct impression that what she means is 'they're a lot easier for us to cope with when they're drugged up...' (I cast no aspersions on any children on medication, btw).

The Head then shows me round school. Not impressed. Demoralised-looking teachers, disinterested looking kids, dark corridors. I ask her how many ASD children she has. 'Three,' she says. 'One's fine in the classroom, one's alright, but one boy has a lot of problems. When he has a meltdown we just put him in a cupboard.'

That's what she says. Cupboard. I don't think I've heard correctly, but she says it again. Cupboard.

I am so shocked I can hardly speak.

She leads me out of the classroom, and there's some commotion going on in the background. 'That must be xxxxxx in the cupboard now,' she smiles. She names the child in question.

I should have said something there and then, I know, but I was totally, utterly shell-shocked. I go home in tears and tell DH that my daughter is going nowhere near the place.

I know I have to report this. xxxxxx could have been my child. Here is a school which has no strategy to deal with an SEN child in distress. And yes, she may have misguidedly said 'cupboard' when she meant 'calm-down zone' or 'quiet area', or even 'caretaker's office', but to me that's beside the point.

Could somebody 'in the know' please tell me how I go about this. I'm scared as hell.

Thanks x

OMFG! I can't really add anything else other than I thought my primary was bad!!!! That puts it into perspective. And don't send your DD there!!!! I do think that I would HAVE to say something to the LEA though, as you say, what if it had been your child?!

(Imagining if this ever happened to DD/DS2 what my reaction would be....). Possibly involving heavy weaponry, the Headteacher, the class teacher and the school SenCo & a dark cupboard.....

It's almost mediaeval, I know...the more I think about it, the more angry I feel (and DH would be well into the heavy weaponry suggestion).

I just need to know WHO I need to report this to...is it the LEA or do I need to contact governing body (or both)? And would it be best to do it in writing or verbally?

Ofsted I would think.

Bloody hell. Ofsted, board of Govs, LEA, anyone you can think of. I take it you won't be sending DD there? If she has a statement youc an chose any school, can't you?

Thanks. Will compose a letter this weekend and fire it off.

Definitely not sending DD to the school in question. Have requested a change of named school in her Statement, but LEA already starting to play silly buggers, demanding re-assessment from Ed Psych before they can make a decision and claiming there are no places left at our preferred setting...

...let battle commence!

IPSEA?

a friend of mine in secondary school had had this done to her in primary.... she was dyslexic and was put in the cupboard as punishment for not being able to read

and i'm only 25 so that wasn't as long ago as you'd like to think.

i second the posters who've said report it to everyone and anyone you can possibly think of.... euphamism or not the way their treating that child is horrendous!

. Also second sending a letter to : (now I've thought about it) LEA, Board of Governors (especially SEN governor), And also Ofsted AND the local Tascc team (or whatever the LEA's dept that deals with SEN children is called this week/in your area).

Bloody hell!

It is bad enough that they put children in a cupboard but to tell you about it with no shame.

Could you ask for another visit with your DH and ask to view the cupboard - and take a photo?

We saw this at a SLD special school. A boy with ASD was in a walk in cleaners-type cupboard with a teacher holding the door. The HT was showing us round and did not react. I burst into tears as we walked out. This was 2 years ago.

im disgusted at the school . a cuboard ffs! thats surely child abuse- if the child needed a space to calm down and there was no sensory room at the school, why didnt they take the child to an empty office or even the gym? . dont send your child there.

Shocking.

Why does this still happen? Clearly these teachers / HTs are not capable of dealing with children when they have "a meltdown". What barbaric behaviour. It's inexcusable that even with all of the guidelines and procedures that are supposed to be in place these days, children, who cannot always make their own decisions, or don't understnd why they get cross, are being forcably removed from the classroom and locked in a cupboard.

If you get nowhere with the governing bodies, go to the press. This HT should not be in the job. End of.

The NSPCC have a useful advice line and you can talk this through with them to help decide the best course of action.

that is absolutely horrifying.

you might also contact the equalities commission - this sounds like disability discrimination and a breach of the child's human rights.

and kids.org

and for your own purposes, I would write a full statement now of exactly what you saw and heard, so no details escape you. It sounds as though your LEA might try to insist that the school is named in your statement, so you may need to be prepared.

I know a man who has tourettes he's actually the caretaker of our community centre and his teachers answer to him was shut him in the cupboard he says he spent most of his high school years in it.
My son has undiagnosed ASD and this would horrify me we've been lucky in that his complex needs meant mainstream wasn't an option beyond the age of 6 I would definitely write a letter of complaint though poor child.

Thank you all SO MUCH for your comments and advice. I feel a lot clearer now about my course of action and will keep you all updated.

PC

PC can you give me an idea of where you are? Am a bit worried this might be our local school!

I feel so for that little boy.

WHY would a HT, or teacher, do this?? Every member of staff in that school has knowledge of this and goes along with it. Disgusting.

From your description the cupboard situation is child abuse. You need to phone up social services child and family team and ask to speak to the duty social worker and describe what you have witnessed. They will need to make further investigations.

Bloody hell.

NAS helpline for advice?