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Schools and funding/fees

grandad

Hi,

 sorry, new to this, our grandson is 8yrs old and has been diagnosed with high functioning autism, we have just seen the psych doctor at CAMHS today who prescribed melatonin. She skirted over getting him statemented for his educational needs and we are a little confused in this area. I have seen specialist schools on this website and Cambian group. The doc also said there were other LA schools in our area that had special units and other mainstream schools with good facilities and records for catering for SEN children. My daughter is a single parent and lives in rented accomodation and we are in the process of refurbing ours to sell and move if necessary to an area where he will have a better school and surroundings( We live in sunny Coventry). Our confusion is whether the LA where we live or (will live eventually), provide funding for our grandson to attend say, one of the schools on this website. Do they provide funding for some of the 'free' schools I have read about that have popped up since regulations allowed this to happen, ie the portion of the budget that would have gone to his normal mainstream LA school now going to the 'free' or other schools.

I do believe that some of the mainstream junior schools can cope with ASD pupils but I have no faith in mainstream secondary schools in my area. They couldn't protect my children when they were subjected to bullying and I know my grandson will be okay in the classroom enviroment most of the time but I would fear for him in the general areas at lunch or games for instance. Any advice or pointers where to obtain advice would be gratefully received.I want to look now so I have heads up on where to look, who to speak to and apply to. Thanks. 

  • Thanks for replying,all advice,links,gratefully received

  • Hi

    There is a section on the site about NAS schools, the link is:

    www.autism.org.uk/.../about-our-schools.aspx

    and I would also contact the sites Education Rights Service for advice about where your grandson stands legally with regards to statements etc and how to go about applying for one:

    www.autism.org.uk/.../advocacy-for-education-service-in-england-and-wales.aspx

    This may also have some useful info for you:

    www.direct.gov.uk/.../DG_10016184

    I hope this helps. My son was diagnosed a year ago and is now 15. I've had terrible battles with my sons school over the last 3 years and had to take the legal route to get him the support and adaptions to the curriculum he needs and deserves but I got there in the end.

    Stay strong, best wishes to you and your family.

  • Thanks for responding, the school he started to attend is more concerned with meeting its ofsted targets than caring for is pupils. We know other SEN parents who have and are having struggles with school. my daughter was notified the other day of an informal meeting at the school regarding my grandson and that there was no need for her to attend . We advised her to insisit on attendng and it turned out to be a formal meeting with CASS, senco teacher, school welfare, some supposed 'expert teacher' . My daughter stated it seemed very awkward that she had attended. I personally have no trust of the box tickers and butt kissers in these various positions, and it seems the ones that genuinely seem to care, and express a different opinion, aren't invited to he next meeting. Our grandson doesnt respond well to stern people, raised voices or sudden noises. He suffers with heightened anxieties and the school just dont seem to understand this. We saw a senior paediatrician at CAMHS two days ago and she seemed to understand a lot of his problems. We had been told that melatonin was no longer prescribed by CAMHS and that our GP could do it, or that we should buy it over he internet! by the CAMHS nurses, but this paediatrician gave my daughter a prescription.This alone has been a godsend, sleep patterns and general calmness seem to be the benifits at present. MY point being the trusting of individuals and what they advise. I wont bore you wth furtherdetails but the school has let our grandson down numerous times before which is why we took him out and that is why I was seeking advice here about schooling and funding by local authorities for schools such as the ones attached to this site and others. HE is a very intelligent boy but he is classically lacking social interaction skills and abilites and was being singled out before he was withdrawn from school and I suspect it was a lot to do with other parents who are also governors who didnt like he attention he got over their sons and also some possibly genuine concerns from other parens about their children missing out due to time spent wih our grandson. They made promises of extra help but never delivered.

  • Hi and welcome.

    Firstly everything will depend how server your grandson is.  You can apply for statement of special educational needs, if he needs it.  Your primary school will have a SENCo you can meet with, and he or she will be able to help.  They will tell you what help they think he will need and whether or not they think he will need a statement of special educational needs.  If they feel he does then they will help you.

    Please don't give up on mainstream schools, there are a lot of very good ones out there who can help.  Usually if he has not been picked up until now he will not need a special school.

    As far as moving to a different area, please don't rush.  Get your head around everything and make sure you are moving for the right reasons and most importantly to the right place.

    Also if you are not already claiming it, you can probably get Disability Living Allowance to help, please see: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Disabledpeople/DG_10018702

    Depends how much help your grandson needs, will depend on how much you will get.

    As I said before please make an appointment to see you SENCo if you have not already and they can answer all your questions.

    Remember there is help out there, you can always come here with any further questions.

    I hope this helps.