Aspergers and (Finally) Getting there with Schooling

meritaten

I am about to embark on 'the battle' to help my granddaughter - while everyone agrees she has at least ADHD/Aspergers - after FOUR years she still hasnt got a formal diagnosis!!!!!!!!!! I looked at her on Tuesday and I could have cried - she looks like a worried little old woman! her identical twin is blossoming and she looks like a waif from Les Miserables! My DD (their aunt not their mum) is concerned too - its time the poor kid had the help she needs!
Wish me luck peeps - the first battle is with the school tomorrow! after that I am determined to get our GP off his backside!

duchy

We've gone through the nightmare too -We moved from Surrey to Kent and after a couple of very rough secondary years things gradually came together -but it's tough and you have to be relentless to get decent support.

meritaten

I am well aware of what I am taking on - DD went through it with her DS and is going through it with her DD (different prob tho).
My son is not physically capable and my DIL - tho a lovely girl - just cannot stand up to officialdom.
but seeing my poor granddaughter on Tuesday - I HAVE to do something!

budgetboo

Thank you so much for your post.

Our story (My AS lad & I) has been pretty grim until recently too.

As my kid is only 7 I'm aware we've still got a LONG way to go, so hearing from people who have made it successfully through the "education system" is really inspiring.

ALL children deserve an education, and it's taken for granted they'll get one in ths country but HFA, and AS kids are often failed badly.

[Deleted User]

I wish I could offer u all support. At times I definitely felt very low and it makes it difficult to see which way is the right way to go.., and that u need to keep going.

I did find these websites helpful (for support) :-
1) http://asdfriendly.org/ and
2) http://www.autism.org.uk/our-services/advice-and-information-services/autism-helpline.aspx and
3)http://www.autism.org.uk/our-services/advice-and-information-services/education-rights-service.aspx.

The last two links are for helplines run by the National Autistic Society. The third link is to a specialist education service advice line which can be of great help (they did keep telling me my son needed to be assessed for statementing which is advice I didn't follow because I was told he would never meet the minimum criteria for this, he was too intelligent to fall in the 'below bottom 1% of the population" he needed to to be statemented). I did however, find their support and telling me what our 'rights' were invaluable.

A lot of Education Psychologist Depts tell u that u as a parent can't do a direct referral to them.., it has to come from the school or GP. And yet when I persisted, they took the referral from me (I'm sure the Autistic Society told me you could refer as a parent). I did this for both my son and my stepson (polite but firmly requesting an assessment by an educational psychologist, when they told me they could not accept a parent referral, I just told them that I knew they could lol). It was one way of making sure my son got assessed by the system even without statementing. Of course, I had already had him assessed by the local CAHMs as having ASD.

But, in my experience, there is 'rights' and there is attitude., and some schools will see that they have a responsibility to help these youngsters.., others will do the lip service dance.., saying they will do x, y and z.., but it never actually happens. Even so, its still possible to be firm but polite (even though its the last thing u've got the energy for I know, sometimes I'd come out of meetings having talked completely calmly but feeling internally like I was in a storm because its YOUR son being hurt) and I did manage to get the schools to agree to certain things and follow through for a while at least. In the end tho.., when the agreement broke down yet again, I felt it was better I removed my son from the school and tried to find a better environment for him. But I do realise this is not always possible.

duchy

I'd say if you can get a statement (and I DO appreciate that there is a lot of resistence to issuing them nowdays) then do so. I found it made a huge difference when provision wasn't suitable/needed revising and (even though it shouldn't) meant schools were more accountable-in my personal experience both as a parent and working supporting AEN high school kids.

If you're going to have to battle for appropriate support (and most of us do at some point) you need every weapon you can lay your hands on.

[Deleted User]

Yes, I do agree, if you can get your child statemented, its better to do so.

Unfortunately, I delayed and delayed because of school promises to improve things (and the likelihood he wouldn't be statemented). When I knew for sure that I HAD to do it, it was too late. By the time he'd have been statemented (can take two years or more with appeals), he would have left school.

So start as early as you can.

duchy

My son's primary school were fabulous -as soon as AS was mentioned after an EdPych appointment it was like a lightbulb going off and even before we'd had the full assessment the head had put wheels in motion for a statement and found funding for a TA to support him (someone who worked at the school already in a non classroom role and had already gone out of her way to help him-the perfect person). High school was an abrupt shock to discover not all schools are so keen to help !

Strapped

Just to add as well - as a parent, you can request a statementing assessment from the LEA. We had to do this after the school kept saying that they would apply but never did.

daska

Strapped wrote: »

Just to add as well - as a parent, you can request a statementing assessment from the LEA. We had to do this after the school kept saying that they would apply but never did.

Yep, I had to do this for DS2, having been blocked at every turn by Early Years and a dire senco. I would recommend sending in as much evidence as possible of the problems - even if it's just a diary - so that they have as little excuse as possible to turn down the request on the basis of 'lack of evidence' that an assessment is necessary.

When they do turn it down, because it's likely they will if it's not supported by the school or a.n.other professional report, ring them up to ask what your options are. Be friendly and enquiring!!!! And after talking it through tell them that, on balance, you're convinced your child needs to be assessed so you think it's probably best if you appeal. They might then suggest that you re-apply. If they don't, appeal and write to them to re-apply anyway telling them that you have put in an appeal just in case the new application is also turned down.

It won't guarantee that you'll get the assessment but it will make it clear that you intend to make sure that they do their job properly.