Too little to late!

That school is driving me loopy. How can they say they had not received little mans written formal diagnosis when My copy says it was sent to six different departments within the school! Not only this but we had a meeting with the Sengo and little mans doctor. I’m a little angry and who can blame me as he was diagnosed well over a year ago and I have only just this past few months discovered little man wasnt receiving the support and services right for his condition. Anger, sadness and disbelief are just a few of the words that describe a few of my emotions these past weeks. I was shocked when I discovered that Lewisham education were taking me to court. How can they even consider doing so when they have done so little for my child. None school attendance for a five month period. Yer right. The school think its acceptable to mark the children in as absent if they are late. Cheeky ****** . Little mans attendance has improved a great deal but only due to me not through any help on the schools part. His well-behaved at school blah, blah, blah. It was this that almost stopped him being diagnosed. It made the process a whole lot longer. two stinking years longer. Thing is his been threatened with exclusion and they want him to be collected every lunch time. Wow is it just me or am I right in thinking that well-behaved is something that don’t seem to be occurring here. I told them that enough was enough I’m gonna apply for a statement. I had to laugh when they told me he would not get one without a diagnosis. So with this I marched down there with my copy of his diagnosis in hand to show the head and get it copied. His face was a picture. Now deny you have it. Since then little man came home with a letter it was an information sheet with help lines and information on ASD. There were events and workshops listed. I have already booked myself into these workshops as I saw them advertised on the net so please stop pretending to care as In my eyes it’s all to little to late!

Saw the solicitor yesterday Was pleased to hear that he was convinced we had a great case. This is fantastic as we still havent even gone through everything and for him to feel that’s our case is strong already at this point makes me feel a lot more at ease. He thinks that the school have not done right by little man and once it’s over we should make our own case for court. I’m In big time agreement with this idea. Let them see how it feels. Then again I can’t see them every being put through what I have. I was days from giving birth when they surprised me with a court summons stating that the case would be heard In just a few short weeks. I had to canceled how could I be expected to attend! I’m just glad that things are looking a little better and I’m hoping that once the 30th March has passed I can then begin the fight to remove him from his school and into somewhere much more suitable for his needs.

You can send as many letters and information sheets home as you please. As I have already said It’s all to little to late. All I ever wanted was the help and support in getting my son assessed, diagnosed, educated, statemented and most of all excepted for who he is. You let me down on all and it’s time to stand up and take note because if you think im gonna turn around and hide your so wrong. I’m gonna try my hardest to get my son and every other child like him his right to assessments, statements, support and services within the education system.

BRING IT ON! I HAVE A VOICE AND IM GONNA USE IT!!!

STATEMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Ok so you get that formal diagnosis the one that has taken so long to get. After many assessments and meeting have taken place it’s all complete and filed. Yes my child has been diagnosed as having a life long condition but relief floods over you. At long last we can move on! Carry on with life and just get on with it. The assessment process on little man took forever and I know thats exactly how I felt. I had a lot to learn and after talking with other parents of child on the autistic spectrum, reading and just understanding my son I learned a little more each day. However and not surprising There was something I hadn’t learnt. I didn’t have a clue about SEN. Yes I now understood an awful deal about my sons condition Aspergers but what in the world did the word SEN represent. Well lucky for me that was before and that since then I discovered this stood for special educational needs. This was something I stupidly assumed would apply to my son. Well he has a  social & communication disorder, meaning that surely extra help would be on offer for him when it came to schooling. You know from my last angry and frustrated post that little man and SEN don’t go together. Help, extra services what the hell is that ? As I write this I will try my hardest to contain myself. But It’s hard as thinking about the extra support that little man has so crawly been deprived of makes me a tad crazy. But that was far from the end of my frustration

as too much to my horror It turns out having a formal diagnosis of Aspergers is not enough! Shocking I know. It’s up to the school to decide if your child is entitled to or requires any extra educational help. Well god help me! This is the school that labeled my child as having behavioral problems after telling me and others on a number of different occasions that little man was well – behaved in school and showed no concerns. This is also the school who sat and spoke with myself and little mans doctor about his diagnosis, introduced me to the school Senco only to recently inform me that they don’t have a written record of his diagnosis. How on earth is this going to happen? So just when you think the long process of assessments and meetings have come to an end it turns out they have only just begun. In order for your child to access the education that is right for his particular needs an assessment for a statement of needs has to be completed. This is not a day thing but could be a minimum of 6 long weeks. Yes it’s a long time when you are at breaking point and need a school move asap.

So now I wait to see if an assessment can go ahead. The decision to assess is made by the local education authority and in some cases can be refused. It gets better! After inquiring I have been told to state my concerns leading to the request of an assessment. Well from what the school, other parents and children and my son have noted back to me this is some of what I have come up with and I am putting it to you guys before the authority for some much-needed advice and opinions.

1. Giovanni has problems building relationships with other children with in his school. This makes attending a problem as fear of bullying and rejection.
2. Finds some of the chosen work un challenging and some to challenging but will not ask for help so therefore will just refuse to do it.
3. Has issues with using school toilet facilities though fear of the doors becoming locked and also their cleanliness. This has caused a number of problems as I have often had to collect him and bring him home to go.
4. His outspokenness  has a tendency  to get him into trouble with this being confused with rudeness to other children and staff meaning at times he has unfairly been punished.
5. Giovanni not eating despite bringing in a packed lunch. Mainly because he wont eat in front of others or maybe another reason that I am not aware of just yet.
6. The disturbing fact that staff are sometimes unaware of Giovanni not being present at lunch. I then discover He has not eaten a packed lunch for weeks at a time.
7. His fear of changing for PE in front of others meaning a reluctance to take part or even attend school on them days.
8. stereo type behavior on Giovanni’s part.
9. Frustration with others not understanding his way of thinking causing him to have outburst and lash out. His taken a door of its hinges by kicking it.
10. His need for routine. When ever there is a temporary teacher teaching class he always has problems throughout the day. Mostly being behavioral. This is due to the sudden change. He is also deeply upset if a teacher that has become close to him leaves the school on a permanent basis.

these are just a few of my main concerns and I feel his current school are not equipped to deal with some if not all of them given recent findings and revelations. The school that I wish to place little man at is a school for children on the autistic spectrum including Aspergers, as well as other learning difficulties and certain disabilities. As my child clearly falls into this category I’m hoping he can be offered a place as soon as one is opened. The school has fantastic reviews and always hits its yearly targets. It would be both wonderful and exciting for me and little man for him to be excepted into this school.