Further Education Colleges

Longman, transition does not go anywhere and will not go anywhere until it exists. Even then it has to be implemented.

Sure, this is challenging.....

There are no resources and there will never be any resources, only empty promises, for so long as the majority set the budget. For all the disability rules nowt much has changed. Organisations that are meant to help us appear to get paid regardless of who they do or do not help. So long as they say all of the right things. 

First priority has to be to hold people accountable for what they say - not so many are willing to speak out on that condition.

And then the organisations that are supposed to help tell us it might be a bit challenging from a resource perspective.

There are lots of parents struggling to do their best for their children who are on the spectrum, and coming up against an inflexible establishment, despite all the legislation that's supposedly going to help, but never does.

Transition isn't going anywhere, just all words. even getting as far as transition is hard.

But doing something about it might be a bit challenging......

Thank you for your reply longman.

I am autistic myself. I would imagine it is very hard for a non autistic parent to help their autistic son/daughter to make the right choices. I find it very hard to understand the "right" choices I have to make for my son.

Personally I believe that he should have received support since primary school yet we are still battling for even recognition at GCSE stage.

The only bullying we have been subjected to in high school has come from the school itself. As in the law states - every child has to recieve education until the Friday after his/her 16th birthday - I understood that every child is also by law entitled to an education appropiate to his/her needs but I seem to have been mistaken in that it appears that every child has to conform and comply to the conventional system.

We really struggle to conform and comply to every rule and so we keep getting told off. This causes us more stress and so we retreat. But we get told off for this also. We end up being damned if we do and damned if we don't!

Think this might be a bit challenging from a resource perspective, but I'll email around and let you know what comes up. 

This is very reassuring, but others in recent months have provided very different impressions of colleges.

Could the NAS Moderators enquire if there is a way we can build up a database of which colleges prove supportive to people on the spectrum.

We probably cannot do this within the forum, but if NAS could invite and collate opinions or experiences of FE Colleges (and universities), it would be easier to determine where action is needed to pursue improvement in the quality of support.

Also some form of monitoring is needed to ensure that the Government's new provisions, including EHC to 25, work in the best interests of young people on the autistic spectrum.

I wish I could offer much help, but I'm floundering around with all sorts of conflicting information.

If one believes the Children and Families Act is going to help up to the age of 25, someone with a statement of special education needs will from september get an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC) in its place. This will ensure access to disability support in whatever course of education that person seeks, up to the age of 25.....

Lots of IFs there....doesn't bother politicians like David Willetts or Michael Gove, but for real people under 25, with a disability, what will really happen?  Answer is - I don't know.... does anybody?

For example, if your son is not receiving any support, does that mean he's not statemented? Possibly you could clarify whether he fits in with the scheme the Government has on offer.

Aside from that you have the usual dilemma of 6th form where he is now, or going to a 6th form college or FE College or some such other resource.

If the school where he is at now offers a healthy supportive environment, and his peers aren't picking on him or trying to undermine him, then staying with what you know may be the best option. But you say there are school related issues.....bullying?

The problem about going somewhere else, which is why I raised this question, is that colleges have not been good up until now, at adhering to disabiliy support undertakings. Some colleges are good, some are disasterous, and some are completely unashamed about being absolutely disgraceful. We are told the Children and Families Act will change things, but with politicians like Michael Gove engaging in ill-informed meddling, has anyone any hope of success?

The other point I should make is you have raised this under a heading querying the integrity of F E College reform. It might not be the most obvious heading other parents who've been through this, or young people on the spectrum who've been through college would look under. And what you need is their experience. You might want to post your questiion again under a new topic heading more appropriate to the help you are seeking.

Hi longman, I am curently looking at further education options for my son. Both he and I would like for him to go on to the 6th form of his present school, partly because it is local and familiar. However, he is struggling with a lot of school related issues and not currently receiving any support which makes me worry that he is not going to acheive the required grades for 6th form. I have been researching local colleges as an alternative and all look good "on paper" as regards supporting additional needs. But then so does our high school...... 

We seem to be bombarded by strategies and measurements that have been devised to support us - yet when we attempt to use them they cannot be and so are not implemented. If I question why, I am told that there are insufficient resources. So why keep throwing money at what in reality amounts only to a "wish list"?

Added to this - nobody seems to wish to be accountable for the lack of provision all parties appear to blame the and eachother.