Can school force child into a wheelchair?

angelicmary85

looby-loo wrote: »

Hi, I've been thinking about this today. (I've nearly a 100 on the SEN Register at school so I can manage an extra one) Does this little girl have a Statement? I'm not sure if it's the same in Scotland.

If she does then she will have an Educational Psychologist. Where I work the EP is like God. Everything goes on their say so. I have written reports, done assessments, collected reports from everyone, etc, etc, but they all come to nothing until the EP report arrives. Mine is so busy that after she does observations and assessments it takes simply ages for the report to come. Once the reports, including the EP report, are sent in to the Local Authority we get an answer within a week and they ALWAYS go with what the EP says. If it is then written into the Statement that walking should be encouraged the school will have to make arrangements for this to happen as the statement is a legal document setting everything out.

I had an almost opposite case a couple of years ago. We (parents and teachers) wanted a child to walk but she point blank refused. Everyone, physio, OT, etc, tried to encourage her but she refused. She wasn't lazy, she just didn't want people to see her struggle. I could understand but we were concerned about muscle weakness and posture. Then she went to college and never used her chair again! ho, hum, that's why I love special ed - every day is different!

Thank you for your post.

I'm kind of new to the whole extra needs thing (I just worked out today what SALT stands for ) so I don't know what SEN stands for?

I've not heard mum mention an EP so will ask her next time I see her.

That's really interesting though, thank you.

angelicmary85

O.k so I've checked my emails and there's nothing yet from Capability Scotland. The woman I spoke to said she'd email straight away though but I'm guessing she got distracted or something. She said she was also going to email a report done by someone about this kind of thing so will post it here when it arrives.

looby-loo_2

angelicmary85 wrote: »

Thank you for your post.

I'm kind of new to the whole extra needs thing (I just worked out today what SALT stands for ) so I don't know what SEN stands for?

I've not heard mum mention an EP so will ask her next time I see her.

That's really interesting though, thank you.

I'm so sorry, i wasn't thinking.

SEN = Special Needs Register
EP = Educational Psychologist
EPS = Educational Psychology Service
LA = Local Authority
OT = Occupational Therapist

I have a list up in my room as there are so many these days I never remember them. There must be about 60 on it

angelicmary85

looby-loo wrote: »

I'm so sorry, i wasn't thinking.

SEN = Special Needs Register
EP = Educational Psychologist
EPS = Educational Psychology Service
LA = Local Authority
OT = Occupational Therapist

I have a list up in my room as there are so many these days I never remember them. There must be about 60 on it

It's o.k there's no need to apologise!

I should know these things as my wee one also has extra needs but he's only a baby so I've not across some of the abbreviations as yet. I only worked out what SALT was because I seen it on a leaflet! :rotfl:

tandraig

not heard anything yet angelic?
I heard today that my granddaughter may have ADHD and already there are plans to update the SENCO (special educational needs coordinator) in her small primary school and to provide training for her one-to-one! her parents have been told she will have further appointments and assessments as to what her needs will be. this is in wales though. Its HER needs that are paramount it seems!

angelicmary85

No not heard anything as yet, I'm thinking about maybe phoning again!

I'm glad you're grand-daughter is getting treated with dignity and respect, that much be a relief for her parents!

tandraig

thanks angelic - her school seem to be following procedure and though this appointment was a long time coming (about 4 months) at least the school recognised the problem, and seem to have her best interests in mind! she really acted up in her last class (but i think that was down to the teacher not knowing how to handle her). Her first year she loved school and her teacher, the second year was a nightmare with her, but this year her behaviour is much better as she adores this teacher! btw she is an identical twin and used to complain last year that if her sis did anything she (the ADHD one) had to sit on the naughty mat!!! that teacher never did learn to tell them apart!! but she wasnt all to blame as i know all too well that the two of them can be challenging and have suspected the one to have ADHD myself.
let us know when you hear something hun - in the meantime will try to post something to keep the thread up front!

angelicmary85

I don't really know too much about ADHD...is it something that can be controlled without drugs? Thee was a little boy with it that used to live in the same street as me and his mum used to have to slip his pills into sandwiches or into his juice becasue he knew they calmed him down and he wouldn't take them!

tandraig

lol - she cant have the ritalin - too young! at the mo its just coping mechanisms and behaviour modification. but my son has no objection to her taking the ritalin once she is six. we have seen with my grandson how it can help.....he is the one with aspergers but he was intially after years of being just he naughty boy - diagnosed with ADHD but that diagnosis was reviewed when a professor from a very prestigous hospital saw him and diagnosed aspergers - but he is still on ritalin and it helps him by helping him concentrate and calm down. and he ASKS for it if his mum forgets before school! mind you, he is 12 now and understands his condition.
before the ritalin they tried behaviourist psychologist, and just about every technique you can think of.....its NOT a magic pill, just a tool to help the other techniques work.
and this is the lad I learned that there are procedures a school has to follow - as a parent you are expected to follow them - even if they seem slow, cumbersome and sometimes frustrating! but from them my daughter learned that the headmaster DOES NOT have the last word, they are bound by procedure too. and heaven help those who dont follow it to the letter!

Butterfly_Brain

I am flabberghasted !
How can a special needs school insist on a wheelchair for a child who is able to walk.
I think it is both a H&S issue and the staff wanting an easy option.
1. Speak to the Consultant in charge of the child
2. I think that I am right that SN schools get extra payments for different needs
3. Speak to your local council
4. Complain to Ofsted
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/About-us/Parents-and-carers
5. Phone your local TV station no one likes bad publicity and once one station gets whiff of a good story others follow.