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Help with school!!

NAS96357

Hi 

My daughter is in year 10 at secondary school and in the second stage of screening with CAMHS for Autism and ADHD. The school are aware and have said they have made “reasonable adjustments” for her. 
She struggles with decision making and following instructions, when this doesn’t go well for her in the classroom she is sent out and has to go to holding (like a detention room) where she remains sometimes for the rest of the day, sometimes for a couple of periods and then has to have a correctional conversation with a teacher where she is basically made to apologies for not doing what she is told. These conversations have never gone well for her as her anxiety levels are through the roof at this stage and she ends up walking away, the next day she will then be back in isolation again until the conversation goes well..this has the potential to go on for days, all the while she is missing out on classroom time and her education. I have had to pull her out of school twice as she has contacted me in a terrible state being left out in a corridor because she has refused to go to the detention room, this room is a major trigger for her. I have discussed with the school many times because A, I don’t think she should be punished for things which are out of her control and related to the struggles she has and B, the detention room is a dark place for her and I have requested that she doesn’t be sent there.

The schools response in the main is that as she is a pupil of the school she has to follow the rules like all other children and their reasonable adjustment so far is to have someone in the mental health unit that she can speak to once a week or go to see at break or lunchtime. 

Has anyone else had experiences like this and how have you got through to the school that these punishments don’t work? 

Parents

  • Hi, I feel really upset reading your post. It's very close to home for us. The school have not made reasonable adjustments at all.

    Some examples of what our reasonable adjustments are:

    Having a safe space to go to, ie pastoral or medical, not an area which feels like a punishment.

    Having a decompression card so when class becomes too much she can use her card for a break, this has often meant her walking the corridors for 5 minutes but it's given her the time to regulate again and return to class.

    Leaving class a few minutes before the rest of the school leave in order to avoid busy corridors.

    Not handing out detention for missed homework.

    Not cold calling her to answer questions in class. 

    Your child should have a student passport which covers all concerns and all teachers should have access to this and understand what is expected of them. 

    Your child should not be punished, this is not bad behaviour, this is them not coping. 

    We have also done a red, amber, green of the timetable to identify the lessons which cause most problems for her and put in a place a back up solution for the red classes, yes that has meant that she does not attend these classes. We pushed school to provide a different area for her to go to, sometimes she will sit in the library and complete homework or tasks set ie mathwatch OR she'll got and sit with Pastoral.

    Have a look at the SEND code of practice and Equality Act 2010, you do not need a diagnosis in order to make reasonable adjustments. Ulitmately, they want the student to be in school so they need to make it a safer place for them.

    Also google "SENDIAS" in your area, they can give you an "early help" or "designated school team" support worker who can attend meetings with you and makes suggestions.

    Your child can also be discussed at an "Autism and Social Communication" meeting without a diagnosis of ASC or ADHD. Ask the SENDco about this.

    You can also google IPSEA they know all about the legal side of educaiton and the LA should be supporting your child.

    I hope some of this helps, stick with your gut instinct, you are right and you just need to keep fighting.

Reply

  • Hi, I feel really upset reading your post. It's very close to home for us. The school have not made reasonable adjustments at all.

    Some examples of what our reasonable adjustments are:

    Having a safe space to go to, ie pastoral or medical, not an area which feels like a punishment.

    Having a decompression card so when class becomes too much she can use her card for a break, this has often meant her walking the corridors for 5 minutes but it's given her the time to regulate again and return to class.

    Leaving class a few minutes before the rest of the school leave in order to avoid busy corridors.

    Not handing out detention for missed homework.

    Not cold calling her to answer questions in class. 

    Your child should have a student passport which covers all concerns and all teachers should have access to this and understand what is expected of them. 

    Your child should not be punished, this is not bad behaviour, this is them not coping. 

    We have also done a red, amber, green of the timetable to identify the lessons which cause most problems for her and put in a place a back up solution for the red classes, yes that has meant that she does not attend these classes. We pushed school to provide a different area for her to go to, sometimes she will sit in the library and complete homework or tasks set ie mathwatch OR she'll got and sit with Pastoral.

    Have a look at the SEND code of practice and Equality Act 2010, you do not need a diagnosis in order to make reasonable adjustments. Ulitmately, they want the student to be in school so they need to make it a safer place for them.

    Also google "SENDIAS" in your area, they can give you an "early help" or "designated school team" support worker who can attend meetings with you and makes suggestions.

    Your child can also be discussed at an "Autism and Social Communication" meeting without a diagnosis of ASC or ADHD. Ask the SENDco about this.

    You can also google IPSEA they know all about the legal side of educaiton and the LA should be supporting your child.

    I hope some of this helps, stick with your gut instinct, you are right and you just need to keep fighting.

Children
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