• Replies 3 replies
  • Subscribers 69 subscribers
  • Views 602 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

surviving meetings

newscottish

we are going through a process just now that seems to entail lots of meetings with school in the form of face to face, phone calls and emails.  chasing up referrals, reading those referral paperworks and sifting through pages of information looking for what applies to us at this moment and it's overwhelming.  

I feel that all our communication with school and NHS just now talks only of my child's challenges.  I do understand the need for this and for the referrals to highlight it all in detail in the hope that they get the best support when eventually seen.  

We know that wait time for SLT and OT is currently 12 months and for Neurodevelopment is 3 years.  I can't face 3 years of these conversations knowing that what is to follow is likely to be more challenging. 

How do other people walk away from the meetings and paperwork and get back to focusing on their child's abilities and strengths?

i really want to enjoy the summer break with my child and not have the fear of school looming 

  • I think once it goes through there will be other wait periods where you don't have to go to quite so many meetings once they have all the information they need and are just awaiting the actual assessment appointments.
    I can't be sure of this but if they are as busy and backlogged as they say they are then it wouldn't make sense for them to keep interacting with you if they didn't strictly need to after a certain point. It may be you're just in the stage where it is "all go" at the moment and hopefully it will let up and relent after a while.

  • Hi newscottish,

    If you are having difficulties with meetings and communicating with the school, you may like to contact our Education Rights Helpline for some advice https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/help-and-support/education-advice-line 

    Kind regards,

    Clare Mod

  • I can understand as I spent several years keeping copious notes, compiling the most negative reports, challenging an EHCP etc. It does take a lot of mental power but was worth it in the end. 

    Regarding relaxing and forgetting school I would make sure you have found out as much as you can about the class for next year to prepare your child and yourself for any questions. Then when the summer holidays come you can forget the competition and difficulties of school and do things that your family enjoy. Once the school holidays arrive it gives my child a chance to be himself at his maturity level rather than competing with others.

    I can't say that the emails, phone calls etc. will stop further down the line, but the early preparation got us used to communicating on my child's behalf. The long summer holiday does give time to unwind and forget it for a while. I would also plan in things along the line to look forward to that you enjoy doing to unwind, so you have small goals sooner.