Total Exhaustion and struggling to understand what to do next - 4 mainstream schools, 1 EHCP, Sensory Processing Disorder and zero support

Hello

I am quite a positive person, but lately I feel let down and so lonely in my quest to get help for my 7 year old son.

He was diagnosed last year and we have worked our way through 4 schools now.

Today, I was again called by school to go and collect him as he was having a meltdown.  This is the 6th time in 2 weeks I have been called to collect him.  He was excluded last week and has again today had another exclusion for 5 days.

We have just had our final draft of his EHCP plan.

SIS have said school cant meet his needs.

Child Phycology have said mainstream cant meet his needs.

Suffolk Count Council will not return my calls or emails, no help or support at all.

I am in touch with Sendias, but again they are so stretched that you have to wait a while for a reply.

Even then, they cant do much.

My son has been accepted at a special school from September and we are waiting to go to panel at the end of May.

Then I suspect, I will have to go to mediation to obtain the place they are offering me.

I feel like we are stuck in a cycle of exclusions, my son is struggling with his self esteem and is at such a low point.

I run my own business, I am lucky I can try and juggle the upheaval.

But my question is, where is the support and help and why is it so difficult to access education for an autistic 7 year old???

Rant over, sorry

Needed to get it off my chest.

I need recommendations for a solicitor that can assist me in going to mediation or tribunal in the Suffolk area.

I know I can get a free 15 min talk with IPSI, but I will probably need to hire someone to fight the fight

Sigh....

I am sure I am not alone in my plight, our children are suffering so badly with lack of facilities

thanks

Natasha

  • Hi Natasha, really feel for you am in similar position, Son is 14 and not in education at all at the moment and won't go out of the house, professionals seem to be the biggest problems, in this county, Dorset, they seem out of their depth, I believe my son has PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) but they just tell me it's part of Autism and won't address it at all.  Have just received a letter from paediatrician saying she can no longer offer me a service.  CAMHS useless, got another review today! three years on and going round in circles.  You are not alone, I haven't met or spoken to anyone yet who has been given good service.