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Complaints to Primary School and Transition to Secondary School help

jo_456

Hello, 

Last week, my daugther was diagnosed as Autistic. 

We are yet to have our meeting with CAMHS to discuss the report, and I am feeling very overwhelmed by it all. My daugther was initially referrred for an ADHD assessment, following my diagnosis of ADHD and similar traits my daughter had to me. This was a self referral. 

For context, we went to daugher's school two years ago, with our concerns. The school senco brushed us off, and told us her behaviour was normal for a child her age. The school refuse to refer my daughter, and flat out refused to help. 

Fast forward two years later, we have some really lovely third party people at CAMHS behind us, urging the school to put things into place for the transition to secondary school, however the school do not engage, they do not put anything in place, other than a break during SATS. 

CAMHS have provided the school with workbooks, help guides, and other helpful information but it is not being used. 

The school kept me out of all contact with CAMHS, despite me asking to be included, invited us to meetings with CAMHS with 24 hours notice, and even lied to the assessor whilst they were conducting their assessment that my daugther didn't take to school the things we bought out of our own pocket to help in school. We asked the school to clarify with CAMHS that what they told the assessor was incorrect and they said they would. 

I asked for a copy of this communication, and whilst CAMHS said it wouldnt matter, they would take on board what we had said and what they had seen, the school sent a piece of paper with the dates that they had communication with CAMHS. 

I am extremely worried about the transition to secondary school, as my child is already anxious, I am worried that the school are very good at telling CAMHS what they will do, but do not actually do it. 

I have prepared a Subject Access Request to the school, so I can see if they have prepared the new school of neurodiversity concerns, and what they have discussed with CAMHS, and i know this will not turn back the clock as to how we have been treated, but i am hoping that a complaint will stop another parent going through a battle with the school to get them to listen. 

Has anyone sent a subject access request to their child's school before? 

Is a subject access report the way to go, will it help me see what needs to be done in secondary school?

Has anyone got any advice on how i can prepare my child for the transition as i have no confidence in that the school are going to prepare her for the move. 

I am also still angry that her teacher lied to camhs or "Misinformed" as the school put it, and also told CAMHS they had put several things in place, when in fact, we as parents did. 

Thanks in advance, and if this is in the wrong section, i apologise, i just do not know which way to turn, and I just want to be sure that the move to big school is smooth for my daugther. 

Parents

  • I've not been in this situation myself, it sounds horrifying, the school sounds as thought they're trying to control things and deny that your daughter has autism, maybe they're refering to the extreme male brain model of autism, which dosent' fit most women and girls, or quite a few men for that matter.

    Misinformed, thats an interesting word choice, misinformed about what, who and who by? Keep challenging, keep on with doign the right thing for your daughter. As a thing for later and more information generally about autistic women and girls, try reading "The Gendered Brain" and The Lost Girls of Autism" by Gina Rippon.

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    The teacher told the Autism assessor that my child doesn’t use the fidget toys or earbuds she takes to class, when she does and the head confirmed this. I asked them to send a correction to the assessor and they said it wouldn’t make any difference to the outcome of their decision. To me that is not the point, they didn’t tell the truth and they claimed the teacher was misinformed.

    It didn’t make any difference to the outcome of the assessment but that is not the point. The point is, what else have they told others which is not true. 

    school denied there was any concerns from day one. 

    thanks for the advice will have to look for the books you have mentioned. 

  • in reply to jo_456

    This is very typical of a "one size fits all" view of autism and it does matter, I don't use fidget toys or use ear buds either or do a lot of other things that autistic people are "supposed" to do. Maybe you should read the second of the books more urgently as it goes iinto exactly this sort of thing.

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  • in reply to jo_456

    This is very typical of a "one size fits all" view of autism and it does matter, I don't use fidget toys or use ear buds either or do a lot of other things that autistic people are "supposed" to do. Maybe you should read the second of the books more urgently as it goes iinto exactly this sort of thing.

Children
  • in reply to jo_456

    Maybe escalate this further, talk to your local education dept and your MP, the school should not be allowed to get away with this sort of institutional blindness and outright lying. Just because you're daughter dosen't use all the things provided dosen't mean she's not in need of help or that she isn't autistic, just that she ither dosen't need the aids or that they're not the right ones for her. It's like saying everyone who's disabled uses a wheelchair, total nonsense.

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    Thankyou I will do. 

    Thankyou, I understand that everyone is different, the point with the school is that they are telling everyone who visits my child, that she doesn’t use what’s provided, doesn’t present in class, doesn’t cause a bother and have no concept of masking either. 

    my child had obsessive handwashing and they denied they every saw it, even though they emailed me to say they did.