Education

Treehorn

Hi, my son is autistic. The SEN teacher at school said she did not believe him to be so despite the fact that he has an Educational Psychologist report stating such.
Behind my back the SEN teacher contacted my son's former school and asked them if they thought he was autistic because she did n't. I am furious she has done this.
Does she have the power to approach my son's former school without my implied consent and/or knowledge?
Thanks

ellesbellesxxx

If a child moves schools, there is supposed to be channels of communication between the schools to ease the transition. So yes she has the power....

skattykatty

As far as I am aware only appropriately qualified specialists can give a 'diagnosis' of ASD in children, this means psychologists, psychiatrists and paediatricians.

Teachers are NOT qualified to diagnose. She can ask the last school a million and one questions (and she doesn't need your consent to do this) She may have an opinion, as the last school may well do, but it is not, and will never be considered, a diagnosis. As someone who has worked in schools I would consider it quite foolish to make these opinions as public as she has done as it is NOT in her remit and you are within your rights to complain. I would be concerned that my son would receive the appropriate support if the SEN teacher is behaving like this.

I realise that I am, perhaps, feeling some of your frustration. Deep breaths.

FBaby

Actually, an education psychologist can't provide such a diagnosis on their own, all they can do is an assessment. A psychiatrist can diagnose, but are usually involved with older children. It is usually the Community Pediatrician who diagnose children with ASD, most often as a part of a multi-disciplinary team (that can include an EP).

She is therefore is entitled to query their opinion and if they have actually written in any report that they were diagnosing your child as such by themselves, I would certainly question their professionalism.

whitewing

I think you need to find out why she thinks he isn't and what is driving her to say he isn't. If it is out of proper concern for your son, then open communication between you both could improve all-round understanding. If it is for some other reason, that ought to become clear, and then you may wish to put in a complaint.

skattykatty

Thanks FBAby, for correcting me. Yes, a doctor can diagnose, others assess.
ASD is such a wide spectrum, perhaps he doesn't fulfil criteria the SEN teacher is familiar with to date. BUT her opinion is not a diagnosis, nor can it ever be.
Wouldn't this have to go forward to CAHMs for a doctor to give a definitive diagnosis?

maman

whitewing wrote: »

I think you need to find out why she thinks he isn't and what is driving her to say he isn't. If it is out of proper concern for your son, then open communication between you both could improve all-round understanding. If it is for some other reason, that ought to become clear, and then you may wish to put in a complaint.

I'd definitely agree with this.


Obviously we don't know all the circumstances but it could be that the SEN teacher is very experienced and there's something not quite right about the 'diagnosis' compared with other ASD pupils she's worked with in the past. She wouldn't be doing her job properly if she just carried on treating him as autistic if she thinks his issues might lie elsewhere.


Contacting the other school is fine as she's just trying to get as much information as possible.


I think instead of arguing whether DS is autistic or not OP might be better advised to be working with the SEN teacher and asking what she thinks his issues are and how to move forward.

Mojisola

whitewing wrote: »

If it is out of proper concern for your son, then open communication between you both could improve all-round understanding.

If it is for some other reason, that ought to become clear, and then you may wish to put in a complaint.

Let's hope it's the first.

My son had an SEN teacher who always knew better than other people. He had been assessed by an optician and given a clear red sheet to put over reading material to make reading easier and she kept taking it off him and giving him a yellow one. Her reasoning was that the only other child she knew who needed this had a yellow one.

MPD

I don't know what stage your son is at but all the secondary SENCos I've worked with have held a Level 7 (masters level) qualification in relevant specialist testing. It is almost a requirement of the job.

Additionally if your son is looking for exam access arrangement it is a requirement that the school conducts its own tests no matter what information it receives from outside agencies.