Hi Guys.....Im back!

LeShark

Firefly wrote:

Sorry to hear of your difficult time. You've certainly got your work cut out for you with one autistic son and one undiagnosed ADHD.

My recommendations would be to go down the statementing route and get a referral to an educational psychologist as soon as possible so that you can plan some learning strategies for him and get him on track (albeit at a different rate to his peers).

Home Education is expensive and I am wondering if you mean that his learning is being provided by the local education authority. A statement of Special Educational Need (as no doubt your autistic son has) will be crucial in getting him all the help he needs.

I could ramble on here as this is a subject passionate to me but feel free to pm me if I can be of any help.

Hi

If he's been excluded before, then the school will have had to notify the local authority and a PSP should be set up, or at least in the process of being set up. A PSP (personal support plan) basically involves all the different agencies (behaviour support, educational psych etc) and it's aim is basically to keep the child in school if at all possible. Its actually very hard to exclude in Primary schools and a load of paperwork needs to be done and shown that exclusion is the last resort. It maybe that removing your child is the worst thing you could do because you're shutting out all the support that the authority have to offer. If your child's going to go on to seconday education then it's LOADS easier to get the support in place in primary than in secondary when the kids can get lost into the system and then excluded a lot easier.

moozie_2

Hello JD, long time no see! So sorry to see that you have had a really rough time recently. Glad everyone is better now though and the pox has left the building!

I hope your appointment on the 6th goes well and you get some resolution to your concerns. Can only imagine what you and your family are going through.

:grouphug: and lots of positive thoughts coming your way!

JAMIEDODGER

Le shark - thanks for your comments, but I have alreasy withdrawn my son from school and deregistered him. i homeschooled him previously when he was five also.

i am not planning on returning him to school for the forseeable. the teachers and head were no use whatsoever, labling him as disruptive, which made his self esteem drop. i have lost faith in the school and their policies and i dont feeli leaving him in school would be the best option for my son. his happiness is top priority for me.

i will be going down the gp/cdc route rather than the school and a psp.

many thanks for your coments though.

Moozie - hiya hun thanks for the positive vibes. cant wait to get back on track when my new month starts!

JD x

System

JD,

My son from a former life (16), has aspergers albeit very mild and he was assessed and got a certificate for it which will open doors for beneifts etc. He is BTW much better and seems better able to cope with it the older he gets. As you know, Dyspraxia and Aspergers are still today very difficult to detect and are often fobbed off as Dyslexia (Dyspraxia) and as juvenile violent behaviour (Aspergers) and people with the latter get victimised from all levels, fellow pupils and teachers alike purely out of ignorance. Not blowing my own trumpet but as you are aware I'm in the navy and I came across a lad last year who was on the verge of being discharged from the navy as a complete lost cause, until i came along as he too was being tarred with the same brush. Fortunately due to my experience with dyspraxia and AS I noticed some familiar traits. And after much insitence on my part he was sent for tests and his condition dyspraxia was confirmed. Subsequently he was taken off warning for discharge and was given coping strategies and an opportunity to transfer to a more suitable job that would allow for his condition. It is very difficult isn't it to cope with this condition. I hope that you get the support and advice you need, because early diagnosis, therapy is vital.

Good luck

Lenny

Ali-OK

Good to see you back JD and crumbs, what a time you've had of it.

Crossed-fingers you get some answers soon for DS, must have been so frustrating for him and you with the school. Good luck with the home educating too.

Keep us posted on how you get on. I was part of a fund-raising team for our regional CDC and was amazed at the range of things they covered. I hope your CDC can help.

JAMIEDODGER

thanks lenny. my son (5yrs) has severe autism and is statemented and in special school. he would fail in mainstream school. after he was diagnosed ds1 & 2 were assessed too, we were told that they had very strong autistic traits but not to push for diagnoses unless it was effecting their schooling, we took this advice at the time because it was already a huge stress having one child through statementing. i dont believe inclusion is the best policy for a child with special needs..whatever the government says.

System

JD

Yes I agree, inclusion for severe autism would only serve to worsen the situation and increase stress. Even for my son who is midly autistic has been very difficult especially for his mother.

Lenny

pink_fairy_7

JD Welcome back. I haven't posted lately however I read the threads daily and was wondering about you. So sorry that you and your family have had a rough time. :grouphug:

pink fairy xx

Penny-Pincher!!

Hi JD

Hope everything works out for you and kids hun. PM me if you want a chat.

Good Luck!!

pp

southernscouser

Hey JD, good to see you back!

Just wanted to wish you well and say I know you'll get back to where you were before! :beer: