preschool session problems -WWYD

[notfromaroundhere]

DS1 has only ever attend 4 out of 5 sessions a week (tuesday as his non-preschool day). Last week I asked if i could put him down for the Tuesday and they said o.k. He gets 1:1 support - was for 1.5 out of 2.5hrs though Specialist Teacher recently applied for full support (not sure if its gone through yet).

When I took him on Tuesday I was greeted with "we weren't expecting you today, [1:1 worker name] is on a course on Tuesday's so we won't be able to provide any 1:1 for him." I said let's see how he goes. He settled straight in and asked some other boys to play and looked happy enough when I left. No comment made when I picked him up.

Today when I collected him his 1:1 worker had left me a note (he stayed for lunch club and 1:1 doesn't). DS1 was apparently "unusually distressed and angry for a large part of the session" and then she drew a face. and closed with "I wonder if yesterday's session impacted on this"

My intention is to ask politely on Friday when they will be able to provide 1:1 support for him on a Tuesday and if its a couple of weeks then I will keep him off. But if the 1:1 support workers course lasts to the end of term (which I suspect it does) I am not sure whether to persue them in providing it or just let it go as he starts school in September and I have a DS2 at that preschool so would still be going there after DS1 has left.
WWYD? Persue it or just let it go?

I don't know, part of me says is it worth it.

OTOH He is entitled to the hours.

I think it depends how much it bothers and how much you'd like him to be there 5 days.

Sorry not much help i know.

My first thought was that the 1:1 worker doesn't actually know that ds1 was upset today because of yesterday. She's only guessing really, isn't she?

If they can't provide the full 5 supported sessions then they really shouldn't be claiming the funding for it. Not that this helps you very much.

If you really want him to do 5 days then I would push for it. If you'd like 5 days but wouldn't mind all that much if it was unavailable, I'd be tempted to leave it.

Thanks for the replies.

DS1 seems quite virally this afternoon so I don't think they can lay all the blame on yesterdays session. Rationally, it isn't worth pushing for, it would make my life easier and if it had worked out would may have got DS1 more used to school but is not really worth twisting arms over.

I think they could have handled it better and I am pretty disappointed with the passive-aggressive note complete with hand-drawn sad face but chalking it up is probably the best bet.

I half-wondered whether the support worker was perhaps a bit miffed that your ds had coped without her and that's why she left you that note.

I would actually be happy if that was the truth! But they know DS1 is much happier doing just free-play and it is Hard Work for them doing the adult-led tasks as per the SALT and Specialist Teacher's advice for his IEP. In fact her stating he was unusually distressed is stretching the truth somewhat as we had 8 weeks of him being disruptive throughout the entire session, each session after the disatrous introduction of a time-table for him. The comments I got during that time were "we have been tearing our hair out with him today" rather than sad faces. Also his 1:1 has been absent for a couple of his sessions in the last couple of weeks but apparently that's not caused a problem .

I am going to heed DH's advice, of pretending I haven't picked up on their unimpressed at DS1 going on a Tuesday tone, see if 1:1 support will be available before the end of term and if not just stick to the 4 days. And possible amuse myself by altering the note as it was written in pencil

I love the idea of altering the note.