• Replies 9 replies
  • Subscribers 65 subscribers
  • Views 1719 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Disabled facilities in school

LovingLisa

My daughter is autistic and attends mainstream school and is in their 'inclusion' program. She can't tolerate the noise of hand dryers in toilets and is terrified of the sight of them. In september when she moves into her new class there is a disabled toilet next door. Normally, she would use a disabled toilet as she is the only person in there and knows therefore the hand dryer wont turn on. I never realised the school had a disabled toilet but now I know and my daughter knows, she would like to start using it. She is a radar key holder although not a blue badge holder.

I mentioned this to her teacher for september in the last week of term and she got really funny with me and said she couldn't understand why my daughter was a radar key holder anyway. She said she would put it on her list of things to think about for September.

It's made me quite upset. I seem to have so many battles to fight at the moment that I don't need to have to fight about this to. Surely my daughter has a right to use the disabled facilities at school?

Could someone give me advice about this, I would be really grateful.

Thank you, Lisa

  • hi - no wonder you feel so stressed.  My sympathies go out to you and your family.  I wd have thought that if your daughter has a diagnosis, then she wd have a statemement and that professionals wd have been involved in the statementing process.  I then wd have thought that she wd have been allocated a sw as a matter of course.  Is she educated out of your local authority area?  I don't see why an OT from your local authority area cdn't do an assess't.  My son was educated out of area for nearly 9 yrs but he remained on social services "books" in our local authority and received some respite care when he was home for the holidays. Things sound a bit confusing to me.  I don't want to confuse things any more by making presumptions that may be wrong so I'm trying to do my best here!  If it was me, I think I'd contact social services and enquire about getting a sw,  (explaining your situation to them and the problems you're having).  From what you say I think you're on the right track in deciding your child needs a school specialising in autism. Sounds like she's wrongly placed from what you say.  Get into "the system" via a sw and then start putting your case.  The nas site has loads of resources and I think it wd be worth contacting them about your situation to see what advice they can give as a way forward.  

  • LovingLisa said:

    . She went through a suicidal phase a while ago at which point her teacher decided that we needed to focus more on emotional welfare and behaviour rather than school work.

    They don't really communicate much with me so I don't really know much about her school life.

     I'm not really sure what I should do with it. It takes me all my time not to sit here and cry. Does she need a social worker? Should I push for the educational psychologist?

    I can see that she has a lot of sensory issues to but I've been told we're not really entitled to a sensory assessment by OT because we're out of the catchment area. Not really sure what I'm supposed to be doing so just taking a few baby steps at the moment to try and make her life easier.

    i suggest a meeting one on one with her teachers, the head and yourself to discuss those things, because not only are you entitled to know but she is entilted to the right sort of help and education for her

    what you do with it is start to understand her, you and the needs she has and make sure all other people who need toknow know, like teachers etc

    yes push for the psychologist

    i dont know anything about not being in 'the area' but if you ttalk to tteachers, get a psychologist you might be able to get a better option there

  • How ignorant! Many people with Autism need to use the disabled toilet, either because they need a carer with them or they have other disabilities alongside. (including the issue your daughter has) There is no law that says you must have a particular disability to have a radar key.

    Have you asked who can offer the sensory assessment if the OT won't?

  • crystal12 said:

    hi - this shows how out of touch this teacher is with your child's needs.  If necessary get other professionals involved, such as her sw and/or educational psych.  How's she doing at school otherwise?

    Academically she struggles and is below average. Our diagnosis is very new. Currently she doesn't have a social worker and hasn't seen an educational psychologist for about 4-5 years. She went through a suicidal phase a while ago at which point her teacher decided that we needed to focus more on emotional welfare and behaviour rather than school work. They don't really communicate much with me so I don't really know much about her school life. To be honest, other than knowing I want to apply for a statement of educational needs and try and have her attending a special needs school, I'm a little lost at the moment. I spent 6 years trying to obtain a diagnosis and now I'm not really sure what I should do with it. It takes me all my time not to sit here and cry. Does she need a social worker? Should I push for the educational psychologist? I can see that she has a lot of sensory issues to but I've been told we're not really entitled to a sensory assessment by OT because we're out of the catchment area. Not really sure what I'm supposed to be doing so just taking a few baby steps at the moment to try and make her life easier.

  • hi - this shows how out of touch this teacher is with your child's needs.  If necessary get other professionals involved, such as her sw and/or educational psych.  How's she doing at school otherwise?

  • LovingLisa said:

    I have composed a fairly powerful letter to the head for September and I'll see what comes of it. I will ask to see their disability policy too.

    It feels quite disheartening though. I thought this might have been a more simple request and they wouldn't have had a problem with it. I still have playground issues to deal with. Yuck. Maybe I should home school :~(

    Thank you for your advice and input,

    Lisa xx

    i hope you get somwhere with this issue, its all very well and good public schools/other places SAYING they are 'disabled friendly' and have things like "inclusion programes" but actually BEING that is a whole different thing

  • I have composed a fairly powerful letter to the head for September and I'll see what comes of it. I will ask to see their disability policy too.

    It feels quite disheartening though. I thought this might have been a more simple request and they wouldn't have had a problem with it. I still have playground issues to deal with. Yuck. Maybe I should home school :~(

    Thank you for your advice and input,

    Lisa xx

  • This is classic misunderstanding of making provision for the disabled. Due to a lot of misinformation about the social model of disability, all they have to do is provide wheelchair access and disabled toilets, and the rest is down to coloured handouts for people with dyslexia. There.... Done....

    I'm afraid all the legislation and all the initiatives and promises still amount to this noddy idea of what disability is about. I cannot see it getting better while everyone from Government downwards is still only concerned with "window dressing".  Look - we're disability aware...we've got a ramp, and a disabled toilet, and coloured paper for handouts.

    The concept that a disabled toilet might also benefit someone with sensory issues doesn't enter their heads. But I bet a few spare radar keys will be available to able staff who don't like using the main staff toilets!

    You need to ask to see their disability policy.  It probably doesn't meet the expected standards. Even remotely....

  • Hi Lisa

    Just to let you know that my little boy with ASD and has toilet terror with sounds etc. He is just 6 and the school happily let him use the disabled toilet as they understand the reasons why this would help him. It also helps them have a less stressed day so I would def pursue this.

    Good luck

    C