General Chat

Nudge

Hi all, Can I just put my views in about this thread. Up until May 04 I worked in a further education college teaching students with varyind difficulties/disabilities i.e. downs, prader willi, mental health, EBD, behavioural etc etc. It was tough but rewarding! With the right DIFFERENTIATION and teaching strategies they all improved on their individual needs. I now work for the LEA . I oversee the statutory assessment process and write Statements of Special Educational Need if they are agreed. When a child is refused a statement it could be for a number of reasons! the panel may decide that the advice that has been submitted by various professionals shows that the childs needs ARE being met by the school (not always, I might add) There was a comment made in this thread about finance. Can I just say that if a child is given a statement it is the schools responsibility to name the amount of hours they want on the statement. Sometimes they will only name a few because the support they have to provide comes out of their budget!!!! It is also the responsibility of the scool to differentiate to attend to that childs needs. Inclusion is what its all about. It is also down to the school to get advice from outside agencies on how to implement different strategies and what resources are available to them i.e. Speech & language (not secondary school) OT, Ed psychs , camhs, etc. It frustrates me when I talk to Sencos who are not even sure what an objective means on the statement. Please don't tar us all with the same brush. Believe me, if I could get out there myself I would do. I suggest if there are any parents/carers who feel that the child is not having their needs attended to they should raise concerns with the school/LEA. Also once a child leaves a maintained school unless they are going into 6th form the statement ceases. Sorry to make this reply so long but this is something I feel very passionate about!! Bernie x

nudge again,to give you time to find it!

Nudge for ANNE.

Hi Sue, Have a look at www.adders(.)org for a full list of support groups and everything to do with ADHD. Maz. XX

does anyone know of any ADULT ADHD support groups.I was diagnosed with ADHD in July at the old age of 43. Ritalin has improved my life i only wish i was diagnosed earlier.

My middle son on 54mgs slow release ritalin and 4mgs sleep tablets a night. My eldest is now on 18mgs as trying to get him off the tablets but he uses it for college as he has no idea of danger which he is doing a mechanics course and resat his maths got a D/E now I think went up a grade

Talking about the medication that they put adhd children on, we where given Ritalin for Sam, but it didnt help him at all. The Dr. then said well he hasnt got adhd, as Ritalin would help him. More huge tantrums on my part, and Sam was then refered back to the same Dr. but under the education health department, I also took along his lsa with me. She was a great help, I was so glad she came with us. Sam was then put on dextamphetamine which has worked wonders with him, its been a god send. It only last for about 3-4 hrs at a time and you can really tell when he needs more tablets. The only downside to them is that they keep him awake, so we have quite a few very late nights with him. I do sometimes not give him the late afternoon tabs in the hope of a decent nights sleep. Dosnt always work though. Maggie

I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE FAMILY FUND GO TO WEB FERRET OR GOOGLE THEY WILL HELP ONCE A YEAR DEPENDING HOW BAD THE CHILD IS SO YOU PUT IN FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED AT THE ONE TIME HOLIDAYS, BEDS, CLOTHES, WASHING MACHINE AND DRYER. THEY MIGHT HELP WORTH A TRY. THEY WILL ALSO GIVE ADDRESSES FOR PLACES WHO MIGHT HELP. AT LEAST WE KNOW WE ARE NOT ALONE

Tickle you have a winge all you like, at least we are all in a similar situation so, therefore, are able to understand what you and your family are going through. It is extremely difficult to talk to someone who dosen't understand what we are all going through. I have supportive friends and family, but they have no idea what's it like, so therefore don't know where we are coming from. I always find comfort in talking to people who are going through similar things to what we are. Brenda I'm sorry to hear that no one listened to you and your family, I have found that they also don't want to listen to us. I am fortunate enough to be able to afford to pay private. My son get's disability living allowance, so I am using that money to pay for it. It's just a shame that I can't use the money for other things for my son. There are so many people out there that are not as fortunate. Nicola xx

My grandson who is now 21 was diagnosed with Asperegers upon his arrival in New Zealand. The family had left Devon where he could not get any treatment and was banned from school for his violence..His parents were blamed for his behavior. Upon arriving in NZ they contacted a child pyscologist who diagnosed Aspergers, put him on medication, appointed a specially trained health visitor. He did have outbursts but the Ritalin helped a great deal. He is now at Victoria University Wellington doing an honours degree in Georgaphy. He came top of all the country in his pre university exams. He has learned to control his outbursts and leads a normal independent life This goes to show that you should never give up on these children. I feel for you all and wish you all the very best brenda

carole my heart goes out to your little grandson,he is so lucky to have a loveing,careing grandma and parents.i truelly hope you get the help you need in the very near future. luv debs.x

i totally agree with maz,at the end of the day it does come down to money,schools always say they not got enough in the budget.its taken me 2 years to secure 1 hour a week for my daughter who has aspergers and selective mutism with a specilist teacher.you have to fight all the time to get help,i also have a 16 year old with adhd and aspergers and finding it hard to get any help for him at all,he attends a james brindley school now because he got school phobia he made us all proud lately by acheiveing an A* in school exams, lea have a lot to answar for in my opinion. debs.x

Nicola, I hear what you're saying. I have a friend who complained for years on behalf of her son. He is her 2nd child out of 4. He drove all his teachers potty, not to mention his mother. She was brilliant and stood by him all the way through. His parents finally divorced but she forced him through mainstream school where they said he was just 'difficult'. He was also school phobic by the time he was 14. I have babysat for this family lots and had the kids round to tea. They have had a prejudiced existence because of this boy who blew everything. He is now nearly 18 and at college studying music technology, very happy but still not easy. Can I say, fight for what you believe because Mum is usually right.

In my experience the problem is not so much with either the school or the specialists - its the piggy in the middle that causes the problem, the flamin LEA. All down to money, budgets and political correctness. Maz. XX

Hi Helen All the learning support staff at my son's school are fantastic and the Senco is also fantastic, she has tried to get the specialists to listen also. I would never knock them as they always try to help my son. It's just the specialists that don't seem to listen to what us parents have to say, which as I said earlier frustrates us so much to the point that you would want to screem at them to listen. The trouble is, it's hard for senco and the learning support, because half the time they feel so helpless. They try to support the parents and children as much as they can, but their efforts seem wasted sometimes. My Mother is a learning support at a secondary school, and she is frustrated half the time. Nicola xx

I work at a nursery and we have a lot of professionals come in to look at the kids - with parents' permission - about whom we have worries. We are Montessori based but not rigid and because we treat each child as an individual it has got to the stage where the Ed. Psychs and doctors are recommending us to parents and as well as lots of 'normal' kids we have some with problems, physical, psychological and educational, from as young as 2 yrs. I know how hard it is to get official support because I used to work with teenagers with 'special needs' at a mainstream secondary. Can I say, don't knock the Learning support staff at whatever level because they all report back to someone qualified, they all love the children and they are the best to be had. I live in a rural area and I see some of my 'hopeless' kids driving tractors, building, down the pub, and they all say 'hi' and I'm thrilled they've grown up happy.

Hi everyone My son is 16 in his last year at school and has ADHD, we have had lots a problems over the years, not to do with his academic side he is very intelligent but social, but we are getting there. Must say can't wait for him to leave school though. My daugher I must say is just fine thanks goodness lol

TICKLE PINK Just been on a site might give your daughter some help it is called HOLIDAYS FOR DISABLED I think you should give it a look they organise holidays 1 week a year and a doctor on hand unless stated hope it helps val

Oooh Tickle I am so sorry, it makes my problems not half as bad as it is for you and your family. If you want to off load that is fine by me, you talk as much as you like. Have you tried doing search on the internet to see what there is available. There are so many great sites out there for parents and children, that there must be one of some use to you all. Nicola xx