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CAF meeting for primary school child
Comments
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Thank you very much, BigMomma.
To be honest, I have felt railroaded for about the last 3 months!
Smaller son was doing OK until he started year 4. This year his behaviour has deteriorated at school (he was quiet before) and he answers back, refuses to work and sometimes wanders off to have a run round outside. :-/
He has had various problems forming letters, getting letters back to front and his spelling is poor. I have been saying since year 2 that I think he might be dyslexic. In my opinion, I think he is sick to death of not being able to produce work that he is pleased with. He's bright and quick thinking, and his reading is pretty good, but he cannot read his own work back again because of his writing. I mean - it really is poor, no capital letters or punctuation so it looks like a long string of hieroglyphics.
Because he has selective mutism in reception and yr 1, he saw a speech therapist but was discharged because his speech is clear (when he uses it) and she said his vocabulary was very advanced.
The Occupational Therapist found he had fine motor problems and is left and right handed. Then she discharged him (year 2).
CAMHS - he gets on very well with the child psych who found son to be bright with a good sense of humour - and has discharged him twice!
The paediatrician thinks he is very interesting (!) and keeps an eye on his autistic traits.
The Ed Psych thinks he is slightly traumatised by his father's behaviour and doesn't trust authority figures. (I had to leave the ex husband in 2005 to go to a women's refuge). She also think son is fed up of not being able to write well.
Behv Support team think he is dyslexic and needs a statement due to his behaviour.
Learning Support team asked me why he wasn't put on the dyslexia pathway years ago.
The Exclusions Officer suggested I don't have good enough bedtime routines and that we shouldn't watch the Simpsons whilst eating our dinner (seriously...)0 -
Well yes definately. SSD are a law unto themselves round here though
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But you're absolutely right - essentially a CAF belongs to the family. The family are meant to indicate where the difficulties may lie and then the agencies should support you in identifying and reaching targets that you and your son sign up to and want for yourselves! Sounds like this one is being done a bit 'top down' and my understanding is that CAFs were meant to be completely the opposite and led by the family.
Perhaps this Head has an agenda of her own!0 -
continued....
his class teacher cannot handle his behaviour at all (the teaching assistant is pretty good). She hasn't been to a meeting about son this year. It is a small school so less than one class per year so there is nowhere to move him to.
The head started (before Easter) to just phone me up and ask me to collect him. This gained in momentum until she decided he had to stay home each lunchtime (this 4-5 weeks now). Then she decided he had to go home at 12 every day and this happened for 3 weeks before half term.
She decided he could not go on a long awaited 3 day trip doing abseiling etc (only 9-3, not overnight) and has refused to take him swmming twice as she "didn't want to take him out in public". That's the comment that made me go home and appoint a solicitor!0 -
P.S No social services help at all apart from CAFCASS some years ago as part of my divorce.0
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Haha - love the Simpsons thing.....Bart is the root of all evil LOL
Seriously, i write CAF paperwork sitting in the family's home and answering every question with them. Where there are time retraints, i make tons of notes about every aspect of the child's life and then type it up - once typed i give parent a copy and they read it through and let me know if anything needs changing or tweaking. The whole point is that it is to explain the situation to all professionals from the CHILD and/or FAMILY'S point of view. If you wanna pm me your email address (only if u want to) then i can send you a Blank copy of the initial paperwork we use in our area....it should be similar to the paperwork used in your area as that is the whole point of CAF, that it can be used across the board....at least it would give you an idea of what info the paperwork they have completed on "your behalf" (lol)....?? Let me know
I really feel that you need to speak with your area CAF co-ordinator who can advise you of how to deal with all this.... they should be told it has been done without your involvement at least.....and if possible they should try to attend the meeting so you have an independant person there who is unbiased xxxBaldrick, does it have to be this way? Our valued friendship ending with me cutting you up into strips and telling the prince that you walked over a very sharp cattle grid in an extremely heavy hat?0 -
Wow lots of professional opinions! The CAF could be really positive in terms of bringing together everyone's views and professional opinions to find the best outcome for your boy. It's a good place to state your concerns and feelings around his difficulties as it will all be minuted and all professionals will get a copy - and they are all accountable. I hope it goes well for you and your boy and your voice is heard. Perhaps take along a buddy or family member if you need support. Good luck.0
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I did phone the CAF coordinator a few days ago but the person going to the meeting wasn't available.
What did you think about my mentioning the solicitor and mentioning the short stay school?0 -
continued....
his class teacher cannot handle his behaviour at all (the teaching assistant is pretty good). She hasn't been to a meeting about son this year. It is a small school so less than one class per year so there is nowhere to move him to.
The head started (before Easter) to just phone me up and ask me to collect him. This gained in momentum until she decided he had to stay home each lunchtime (this 4-5 weeks now). Then she decided he had to go home at 12 every day and this happened for 3 weeks before half term.
She decided he could not go on a long awaited 3 day trip doing abseiling etc (only 9-3, not overnight) and has refused to take him swmming twice as she "didn't want to take him out in public". That's the comment that made me go home and appoint a solicitor!
Bless you, i really feel for you here! If you were in my area, i would come and support you!!!
Just a thought - not all areas do, but in my area there is an over-5s family support team.... could you ask your local council about this?? I really feel you have been railroaded and you should not be attending this meeting on your own.... seriously - CAF co-ordinators!!!!!!!Baldrick, does it have to be this way? Our valued friendship ending with me cutting you up into strips and telling the prince that you walked over a very sharp cattle grid in an extremely heavy hat?0 -
Harriet - I am taking along my OH who is very sensible in meetings!0
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