No after school club

[SamAlex1970]

Hi, my partner and I struggling with After school clubs. We both work full time and presently are able to collect our son and finish work from home. This is about to end which leaves us unable to pick our son up. After school club seemed the answer but as our son is on the Autism spectrum and has ADHD his current school won't let him use the After school club as no one is SEN trained. We can't reduce our hours as like most fa.ilies we have bills to pay. This is causing alot of stress and I feel he is being discriminated for his diagnosis.

I think your child is being discriminated because of his disability. I would speak to your Local Authority SEND team in the first instance. They might be able to put pressure on the school and remind them of their duties under the Equality Act.

Is it in your child’s interest to go to after school club? It makes the day very long. If you have a SEN child school and childcare can be difficult. I had to change career and do term time only during primary years and now I have a WFH job during teenage years to support my ASD child. It has hit us financially and I don’t enjoy my current role but DS needs the support.

After school clubs are often run by a seperate body, even if it's in the school building. If it is that kind of set up, the same rules around inclusion at school probably don't apply. If they can't support him, they won't offer him a place.
What other options are there where you live?

The school are probably nothing to do with the running of the club, they just host it.
Do you claim DLA? If so, have you suggested paying for additional support for your child? If he would be unsafe in the club, they have a duty of care towards him and the other children and ratios will not cover 1-1 support if that is what is required.

Its really challenging to find afterschool care for children with asd.

It may be discrimination, it would depend on what was considered a reasonable adjustment. So if they need 1 to 1 and to hire an extra room, that might be seen asunreasonablee to expect that. They can charge more If they do that.

Some people have success with getting a social care assessment and then funding for a PA to give respite.

Some charities do respite for childfen with asd and you can bid for a weekly session.

Some people use DLA to cover the specialist nanny or extra 1 to 1

There isnt specifically funds for childcare.

Good luck.

How much support would your child need to be safe in the AS club? They are usually run on a shoestring budget and may not be able to afford any adjustments.

Depends what kind of support he would need at the club.