Teachers - SEN

[Curiousdog]

I've name changed for this as too easy to identify me!

DS is 7. He has sigificant sensory processing problems (touch, smell, proprioception) and he has some social communication difficulties. He also has Developmental Coordination Disorder (low muscle tone/hypermobility/fine motor coordination problems).

He has been under assessment by a variety of agencies for over a year. He is still on the ASD waiting list for formal diagnosis. Because the waiting list is so long, and because every child on the list is considered to have a working diagnosis of an ASD, we have been given access to services such as the Early Bird Plus course (a National Autistic Society course which is run by the LA) and we have attended this with our class TA.

School have been incredibly slow to switch on to this. The knowledge level is very low. The class teachers didn't even understand the basics of ASD e.g. things like sensory issues and problems askingfor help. DS is more likely to shut down and not engage than cause a problem, so he has been the last on the list as far as they are concerned. I have seen him disengage, refuse to go to school, refuse to stay for lunch and generally get hugely stressed and upset after school as a result. It has been, off and on, a hellish year.

The Early Bird Plus course has been an eye opener for the TA because I'm sure that I was generally just being considered as a PITA overprotective parent until that point.

It has been an eye opener for me too as she has explained to the class on the course what difficulties she has had trying to get school to implement some of the basic stratgies she has learnt e.g. allowing DS to have breaks as he tired, accomodating sensory issues etc. She also says that when she returns from the course she is greeted with 'oh no what else have you got for us to do now'. There is no way of sharing the information with the school

The SENCO has been no help at all save for allowing the TA to go on the course and I really don't understand why schools send people on these courses if they are not committed to it.

Under some pressure from the community paed, the SENCO has now asked for Autism Outreach to come in and I have involved the head to try and break down the barriers the teachers appear to have erected.

But really, what is the problem? If teachers don't understand a SEN do they not go to their SENCO for help? IF SENCO doesn't understand, shouldn't he not ask for help?

This has got needlessly out of hand and every time we get back on track something else happens.Last Friday they mixed up the classes without warning and DS lashed out at someone after being reprimanded for chewing something. He has never done that before but school recognised he was stressed by the change. I can't understand why they don't get to grips with this.

Answers on a postcard.....

[Goblinchild]

You need the school to access support for them selves and your son from the Inclusion team attached to your LEA. They can advise and visit to make school get their act together, and give the TA back up for her recommendations.
You can't really afford for them to take their sweet time, it's time your boy doesn't have.
So get proactive and bolshie.
If they meet his needs and provide 'reasonable accommodation' the number of incidents, meltdowns and withdrawals on his part will reduce and everyone's role is easier. They need to be made to see and understand that. Or the situation will deteriorate and everyone loses.

[Curiousdog]

That has been the problem. They have not accessed support because they have not seen any need for it. He isn't disruptive and so doesn't affect their teaching - what's the problem?

I have been proactive all along. It was me who organised for the community paed to go to school and explain the issues. I have had to go to the head (and be snapped at in response)because teachers were not doing anything (save complain of stress because I was asking questions).

I suppose my problem is that I really don't understand the way the system works internally within schools. I would have thought that teachers, if they had no knowledge of a problem, would ask for help and SENCO would go and get it. They've all seemed way too concerned about how they 'appear' than esnuring DS gets support.