Disabled son beaten up at college, twice

marcellep

Swan me and the family send our best wishes to you and your son,

This is awful and disgusting to hear this happen to anybody and esp hard when your son is disabled. The college should set an example here and deal with the situation. I work for the ambulance service in Edinburgh and sorry to say but unprovoked attacks within a education establishment need to be taken more seriously. Only last week a child under 16 with MS was attacked out side a primary school in Edinburgh, Now this did not even hit the local headlines? I only know about this as I work in ambulance service, I really think someone needs to either contact the local papers, Local MP or even still the education Minister. I can assure you if this was a teacher that had been assaulted it would be a different story.

All the best

Rgds

skyrocket

hugs swan!
my little boy has dyspraxia and i moved him to a new primary school because of bullying and the useless head at his last school.
i absolutely dread secondary school!
i hate the way this country has become. young people don't care one jot any more. there is no discipline or respect for anyone or any thing!
i am seriously thinking of moving to france where respect for elders and each other is something that is still in evidence.
this country is going to the dogs!
i really hope the piece of scum that is doing this to your boy gets his!
i have to believe what goes around comes around and i hope someone teaches that vermin a nasty lesson soon!
xx

Ellie2758

Swan, this is disgraceful. No wonder you are so angry. The thug should be prosecuted, nothing less. What on EARTH is the matter with the college that they didnt advise you what happened to his friend?

Hope you got some joy at the meeting.

suzyq

I too have a teenage son with a learning disability, I am saddened to hear about your son's situation. The college definately needs a wake up call (or kick up the a...) I am sure that they have a duty of care whilst he is at college, and they should be held responsible.
Write to them asking them to send you a full explanation in writing.
Ask them to tell you why you were not informed immediately about the first incident of abuse and physical attack on your son,(look at the disability discrimination act) you need to know the reason they left it so long before informing you.
Ask them about the time both offences took place, who witnessed them, plus names, exactly how they dealt with it.
Ask where the support assistant was at the time of both of the attacks.
Go see your MP explain about the situation see it they can help, the MP will make it a members enquiry.
I would most definately go see a solicitor, your son will be able to get free legal aid.
If you do not get any justice from the thug who assaulted your son you may be able to claim compensation from the college for the mental trauma your son has had to go through. Every conversation that you have with the college make sure to ask them to put it to you in writing, this will enable you to build up a case, and it will be useful if you decide to go to court.
Try posting on the following two forums as you may get further help, usually good professional advice http://www.disabilityinformation.com www.learningdisabilities.org.uk

Swan_2

update on the meeting yesterday, I’ll try to keep it brief & coherent

the college people were surprisingly supportive & apologetic
they agreed that the situation had been handled very badly & that lessons had been learned & measures had been put in place to ensure that this should never happen again
the woman who was so rude & unprofessional on the phone was, thankfully, absent

unfortunately, there’s nothing they can do about the thug hanging around outside of college grounds. this is bad not only for us, but also for them, quite a few of the students & some members of staff are frightened & worried too

today I’m taking my son to see some people at an organisation who help young people who’ve been abused (in any way) & they’re going to give us some advice about how to proceed
we’ve already been advised to take out an interdict with powers of arrest & may have to consult a lawyer

my son’s ‘own’ tutor, who’s moved heaven & earth to help him in his time at college, happened to be off on leave when all of this happened, was horrified when she came back & heard what had happened & was almost in tears at the meeting
she brought along a lovely letter from his classmates who say they’re missing him & hope he’ll come back soon

we’ve agreed to re-introduce him to college very gradually & at his own pace. fortunately the different parts of the college campus are spread out all over the city, & his favourite classes are away from the area that the trouble happened in

this afternoon, I’ll take him to a leisure activity his class usually has on a Friday, which will be a nice low-key re-introduction
I’ll take him there & go back to collect him to make sure he feels as safe as possible
on Monday afternoon, he has an art class, again away from the main campus, so I can take him there & back
the tutors are also going to see if they can arrange more classes away from the main building until (hopefully) the situation is resolved

lots of you have said things I'd like to respond to, but I have to go out shortly & that's all I have time for right now. I'll try to get back on later

thanks again everyone

Justie

so pleased it's all so positive Swan And glad you and your son are getting all the support you need.

getcarter

I hope this all works out for you, on a similiar note my DS year 5 (he has unexplained seizures) was punched and called 'mental' by a boy in the next year, needlless to say I wasn't impressed and went into to see the head the next day. He did actually take it very seriously (not the first time this child has called my son that name) and called the boys parents in.

It's just upsetting that some one could just punch someone like that, I'm under no illusions about boys, they do have a bit of a scuffle but to just punch............. and the 'mental' bit as well, I worries me that because he is different will this be something he has to face a lot!

Ellie2758

Hi Swan

hope you, and your son, are feeling much better about the situation soon.

pavlovs_dog

nice to hear that the college are doing what they can with to support you.

i'd recommend that you continue with the injuction. also, if this yob is also giving grief to other students, could you approach the police and ask them if there is anything they can do? even if its just a case of have a word and put the frighteners on him?

haziec

Hi Swan as the mum of three 'disabled' kids I just wanted to send you my best wishes and hope your son is OK.
Our eldest and only daughter has severe dyspraxia and is now 23. As a result of bullying at school, she has had a few terrible years but is now finding her feet, working and has a lovely fiancee. Our middle son is popular at school thank god even though he has a severe speech and language disorder- his classmates are very nice. Our youngest is still only 13 and has a birth injury to his arm and diaphram. I worry constantly cause he seems v. unhappy at school. There is some REALLY horrible kids around unfortunatly. Im so glad your son has lovely supportive parents like you, he will get through this. Rosemary