Bad IEP for Autisitic Son

Replies

By Mum of 5

Re: Bad IEP for Autisitic Son
Wed 19 Mar 2008 15:11

Hi minx My daughter has severe speach & language disorder, still at 14 years of age she has magor problems reading & everthing else, I pushed & pushed & pushed until she got a placement in a unit, She is so different now compared to the little mouse that was in mainstream, all I can say is make them listen, go over their heads, go to the LEA & fight,

By kerry

Re: Bad IEP for Autisitic Son
Wed 19 Mar 2008 20:32

Hi Minx,
Just the thought of your poor daughter mixing with mainstream kids with the difficulties she has makes me cringe!
all the noise, chaos, competition, plus the teachers mostly being only interested in their ofsted reports....

My boys are severely disabled with fragile x and autism mainly- they go to a fab little school where we live, the only one on the whole island and its like a family.
the differences in my boys since they started there is insurmountable, and nothing is too much trouble for the school.
I know special needs school might not suit all but personally i wouldnt send my kids to school if mainstream was the choice!
Id go to the LEA and also try SNAP (special need advisory panel)

good luck
Kerry

By Tricia

Re: Bad IEP for Autisitic Son
Wed 19 Mar 2008 20:56

Hello Minx

Have you seen the following web site?

www.ace-ed.org.uk

Advisory Centre for Education is used by Parent Partnership Officers for if you have any problems relating to your child's education needs.

As Kerry has said for some areas there is SNAP (Special needs advisory Pannel) but some areas have Parent Partnership officers who train volunteers to become IPS (Independent Parental Supporters) who can support you through the educational system including the problems which your facing in the school not understanding your child's needs. They can help you set up meetings, pre plan meetings with you and also have training to be aware of the latest legislations regarding special needs education.

You should be able to find information regarding support for parents through special education system on your local council web site.

Hope this has been some help

take care

tricia

By moonstar

Re: Bad IEP for Autisitic Son
Wed 19 Mar 2008 21:36

Hi Minx.

My son is 11 and has ASD and associated moderate learning difficulties. By the time he had been in primary school for 4 years (here in Northern Ireland they start Primary 1 at 4 years old and stay at same school until they leave for secondary school - P1 to P7) and still couldn't read or know his numbers and even the alphabet. He had been on IEPs and Statemented.

I am lucky that his primary school has a Unit for Moderate Learning Difficulty attached and he could be transferred. It was like having a totally different child. He is in a class with 10 other children, 1 great teacher and 2 absolutely amazing classroom assistants. I have just had his transfer review with the Educational Psychologist and he now has a reading age of 6 and a numeracy age of 6.5 years. This has been acheived in a little over 2 years. I believe it is entirely down to the teachers understanding what the kids are dealing with - they also have their classwork and homework tailored to the individual child's level.

What a difference to when he was in mainstream and I felt like I was banging my head against the wall every time there was a review - very negative.

Even though I am from England, I have never had my child in the English education system so I am not sure how it works.

I don't know if you are a member of the National Autistic Society , but they have a helpline : 0845 070 4004 or their website is www.autism.org.uk. (I'm sure they will help you whether or not a member)

They have a campaign called "Make School Make Sense" which I think is national.

Hope some of this is of use to you.

All the best

By mr tumble

Re: Bad IEP for Autisitic Son
Wed 26 Mar 2008 15:36

My advice would be to move him my son is in a sen school at first i did everything to make him go into main stream but after meeting a nice lady from the education board jean who was very helpful i went to look at the different type s of schools and the best thing i ever did was put my son in a sen school. I cannot tell you how relaxed i am knowing my lad loves school he even gets upset when leaving he loves it that much the teachers and assistants know exactly what your child needs and they understand if you ever need to talk where as in main stream they aint really got a clue in my opinion contact your LEA and ask to go and see your local SEN schools near you etc you can make up your own mind then etc x

By granny

Re: Bad IEP for Autisitic Son
Sat 29 Mar 2008 09:48

My daughter has had terrible problems within the school system. she communicates with dance and to this end i have put all my resources in to this.
I have twice found myself facing child protection proceedings simply for "disagreements with professionals"
Each time those assessing have come out resoundingly on my side but still no proper assessment.
the best £350 i ever spent was the money for a private assessment. My daughter afer spending time at a Steiner school which was succesful until even there she was bullied by a teacher is now very succesfully educated at home. however i am retired thriough ilness and home education is something a lot of people dont want to do or are intimidated.
My daughter was assessed by the home education inspector who wanted me to mark her work. He had been insistent that she was self assured capable etc ect. Until he insisted that i mark her work. ?then he saw a different person. "She is not putting any marks on my work because i would have to do it all again" 2It wouldnt be perfect". he was so shaken by the change in personality he rang me to express it. i then said to him "Wait until she turns into a giddy kipper running round in circles and laughing" they just dont know. Assessments are arbitrary and late in the day. for years i was told i was telling my daughter to behave like that , this in the face of all the medical evidence.
The special educational needs system is the most cruel and most currupt system ever inflicted on the most needy in our society.
and while I am on my soap box lets challenge the calibre of learnign support assistants and the way in which they are selected.

By loopy

Re: Bad IEP for Autisitic Son
Sun 30 Mar 2008 19:12

sorry granny, i have to disagree there. I have a special needs daughter and the school where she goes are fantastic. Nothing is too much trouble and they are all really nice. As for challenging the way learning support assistants are selected, i am not quite sure what you mean by that. They have to be qualified now to be able to work with the children. Most of them are qualified to NVQ level2,3 or even higher level 4> I am just starting my level 3 and i want to work with special needs children. It sounds like you have had a bad deal along the way but i would like to just point out that not all special education needs systems are bad.
hope you dont take this message the wrong way as it was not meant to cause offence.
cheers

By Tricia

Re: Bad IEP for Autisitic Son
Sun 30 Mar 2008 19:54

I have to agree with you there Loopy when my son first started school he had the home teacher in and the speech therapist in the home. It was the speech therapist who said to me that she had worked in the special school where my son was going to and she often wished she could of sent her children there. Of course with having nothing wrong with them too as she said that you just could not have paid for private education which this school had to offer.

My son 16 now and about to leave that school where he has been attending since the age of 2 1/2 years and what the speech therapist said all those years back have been so true he has flourished and gone well beyond all expectations and it is all thanks to the wonderful staff and support staff at his school.

I have been reminded at reviews that of course it is due to having a wonderful mother like me

By natalie

Re: Bad IEP for Autisitic Son
Tue 1 Apr 2008 11:42

i am a speal needs teaching assistant in a school just for autism and asbergers i also have a daughter who has autism and learning difficulties i am a level 3 and went to college to do a diploma in child care and education also a level 3 special needs certificate as well as numerous and extensive training in this area we are all dedicated to our job and i take offence to earlier coments there are differences in a teaching assistant and a classroom assistant or just a helping hand . in answer to the original question i would have no hesitation in pushing for a sen placement its such a specialist area and the whole enviroment needs to be tailor made to the condition in most classes there are onle up to 8 some times less in a class the childs confidence just soars and all staff are on the same wave length good luck

By kerry.

Re: Bad IEP for Autisitic Son
Tue 1 Apr 2008 13:43

sorry granny to join the band wagon but i would never in a million yrs ever send my boys to mainstream.
They go to a fabulous SEN school which is like a family to us.
nothing is too much trouble.

yes in the past some of the assts needed training as they were doing the work for the kids to make the kids feel and look better, but now i believe they do all sorts of NVQs and so on.

i dont know about corruption- as long as my boys get what they need and deserve to help them become the best that they can be then thats what matters to me.

I guess you have had a very bad experience which is a terrible shame for you and your daughter, and it must have broken your hear to to be accused so stupidly of this and that, but thats their ignorance, not yours.