fighting for school

[sarah malone]

My daughter is 8 she has Aspergers,global learning delay, dyspraxia and ADHD it took 4 years in total (from the age of 3 - 7) and 2 schools to have her disabilities registered and the LA to admit she could not stay in mainstream and they only gave in because I got a lawyer, wrote to the secretary of state for education and threatened to have them on charges of losing my daughters personal information Did anyone else have this much trouble? She is now in a SEN school which is absoloutly brilliant with her and she can stay there till 6th form but it took such a fight to the point where I ended up in hospital 8 times with exhaustion! because my body could not cope with the stress I was under, I was so lucky to have help off of family and I am really concerned others might give up because it is so much to cope with. I would love to hear your opinions x

[charles47]

Sarah, I know a large number of parents who have gone through similar difficulties in my area. It seems it's more about money than what kids really need.

[rosemary]

My brother is 44 yrs now and yet I still see some parents having the same battles my parents did over 30 yrs ago.

[Tracey]

Still fighting the system, it isn't my son that causes the stress its the schools.

Well done for getting your daughter in a better school.

I will win!!!

[sarah malone]

Tracey keep going I was writing emails and brainstorming letters for the LEA all night I am sure they gave in just to get rid of me, I questioned everything to the point where the LEA worker assigned to Jazz's case asked me not to contact her with any more questions!! So I made a complaint about her asking me that to her manager, it is so annoying and the joke is Britain is ment to be one of the leading countries in the world for these things. I was pretty sure it was not just me that had issues it's just so sad we should have to do this to begin with.

[Melly1]

Hi Sarah, you are definitely not alone. I've had to fight for S's education all along the way - solicitors, IPSEA (who were brilliant,) tribunal etc etc

ASD provision and understanding of ASD is patchy and poor. I teach in a special school and we have children with autism come who have failed elsewhere and then the poor parents really struggle at secondary transfer for suitable provision.

As Tracey says, our kids aren't the difficulty it is the other "professionals" involved. It's exhausting, but if we don't fight for our kids, no one else will.

Melly1