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Please help

struggling mum

Im sorry to ask for your insights and help once again I just don't know what to do. My sons due to start secondary school next week - a big transition for him. To cut a long story short he gets transport as is outside the catchment area. This transport has been mostly ok until big disruption in June when they declared they'd only pick up/drop off at home address (8.30 & 3pm). Managed to get back to my sons normal routine of them dropping him at his childminder three days so didn't pursue further at that time. Now they are flat out refusing to continue this advising only the home address.

The reasons this is catastrophic is because as a single parent if I don't work I can't support us. His had enough to deal with without me being unable to support us. We'd lose our home and everything. Whats more he has an amazing relationship with his childminder and that would go too. I have begged and pleaded with the council and sent complaints to everyone I can think of but I'm running out of time. I can't send him to a different school because this is the only one that has a unit within the school that would fully support him without him feeling singled out. It feels the council are trying to force me out of work. Surely having a child with additional needs doesn't mean you can't work?

Please forgive me for saying but its been such a challenging year that I have seriously struggled to get through on more than one occassion. I feel so alone. This has been a massive blow and just one too many. If I can hold it together I will challenge them again tomorrow but feel I have no dignity left. Has anyone else had this problem and please help me reach a resolution. This as I say is a big transition for him and the last thing I wanted is the disruption this will cause if a resolution can't be reached tomorrow. 

Thanks in advance x

Parents

  • Hi thank you all genuinely all for taking the time to read my post and giving your insights. I fear I may not of been clear in the first post. Forgive me I was pretty emotional at the time of writing. Basically the whole transport thing came about from the council. After the diagnosis they were the ones to recommend his previous school and the one his starting next week. They made the recommendation based on the fact this school has an communication disorder unit within it thus could meet my sons needs. They never mentioned at the time that transport excluded use of a childminder. The recommendation of his previous school was spot on and did him a lot of good as I hope the recommended placement his starting next week will be. Problem is because of this issue that they won't drop him at the childminders 3 days which is one road away it could force me out of work which could mean I would lose our home. The pick up and drop of times make it impossible for me to continue my job. It doesn't incur any extra cost to them as they pass the road the childminder is on to bring him home. They would rather I went on benefits housing benefit, council tax etc than drop him at his childminders which is wasting taxpayers money. Aside from that my son has an amazing relationship with the childminder and shes been part of his routine for many years. It would be awful for him not to continue. 

    Thank you Crystal for saying they should be the ones to hang their heads in shame as now that is what I intend on making happen. I phoned again today and told because I made a complaint to head of service i have to wait five working days for an acknowledgment then who knows how long for a reply. Thats too late he starts wednesday. So much preparation has gone into this transition for my son which should be a positive time but the council's action have left me with a lot of uncertainty that I need to resolve before it impacts my son. After a very emotional couple of days I've finally stopped crying (so glad my son's with his dad atm), had to go to the doctors and be put on antidepressants because this has been the last straw for me I am ready to resume the fight. I have sent formal complaints to everyone I can think of in the council and I have got myself on twitter :-) This has meant I have been able to make everyone from the minister of education to the local MPs to David Cameron himself aware of the impact of this policy. I am making this problem as public as possible to try and encourage change. It won't come in time for my son next week but I will find a way of limiting the impact on him but I will fight this point until it changes for others. My son needs consistency and thats what I'm fighting for so please if anyone can pass this on please do. I will let you know of my progress x

Reply

  • Hi thank you all genuinely all for taking the time to read my post and giving your insights. I fear I may not of been clear in the first post. Forgive me I was pretty emotional at the time of writing. Basically the whole transport thing came about from the council. After the diagnosis they were the ones to recommend his previous school and the one his starting next week. They made the recommendation based on the fact this school has an communication disorder unit within it thus could meet my sons needs. They never mentioned at the time that transport excluded use of a childminder. The recommendation of his previous school was spot on and did him a lot of good as I hope the recommended placement his starting next week will be. Problem is because of this issue that they won't drop him at the childminders 3 days which is one road away it could force me out of work which could mean I would lose our home. The pick up and drop of times make it impossible for me to continue my job. It doesn't incur any extra cost to them as they pass the road the childminder is on to bring him home. They would rather I went on benefits housing benefit, council tax etc than drop him at his childminders which is wasting taxpayers money. Aside from that my son has an amazing relationship with the childminder and shes been part of his routine for many years. It would be awful for him not to continue. 

    Thank you Crystal for saying they should be the ones to hang their heads in shame as now that is what I intend on making happen. I phoned again today and told because I made a complaint to head of service i have to wait five working days for an acknowledgment then who knows how long for a reply. Thats too late he starts wednesday. So much preparation has gone into this transition for my son which should be a positive time but the council's action have left me with a lot of uncertainty that I need to resolve before it impacts my son. After a very emotional couple of days I've finally stopped crying (so glad my son's with his dad atm), had to go to the doctors and be put on antidepressants because this has been the last straw for me I am ready to resume the fight. I have sent formal complaints to everyone I can think of in the council and I have got myself on twitter :-) This has meant I have been able to make everyone from the minister of education to the local MPs to David Cameron himself aware of the impact of this policy. I am making this problem as public as possible to try and encourage change. It won't come in time for my son next week but I will find a way of limiting the impact on him but I will fight this point until it changes for others. My son needs consistency and thats what I'm fighting for so please if anyone can pass this on please do. I will let you know of my progress x

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