Re: O.T Education - private only real option

[Guest guest]

I think they must be children without severe needs? Because those are

standard fees. So maybe ASD children who need quiet, small classes? I

like the sound of education vouchers which is where the Tories are said

to be heading now. What we need is the sort of direct payments that they

have in social services so that we can buy our own education. The Tories

talked about vouchers under ph (ie early 80s) and then went in

for massive centralisation instead. Some states in the US do vouchers --

black parents love them. Teachers hate them because they give parents

power. Heyho

xx Sally

rexel45@... wrote:

>

> Only £21,000 for full board? I thought that special needs schools

> were upwards of £100k when they were boarding schools. The rainbow

> school here in Wandsworth is around £40k per annum and that's not

> boarding.

>

> Also, I thought that the special needs schools often don't allow

> parents to pay privately, they only allow children who have

> statemented provision into the schools - I hadn't realised that there

> were actually private SEN schools that allowed parents to pay the

> fees. I remember reading in Lady Astor's book how she had to fight

> for provision for her daughter because the school wouldn't let her pay

> privately.

>

> Either way, it's awful for parents to have to shell out this kind of

> money just for basic educational needs of their kids.

>

>

> In a message dated 08/01/2008 06:38:44 GMT Standard Time,

> mummysgirl@... writes:

>

>

> http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2236191,00.html

> <http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2236191,00.html>

>

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> No virus found in this incoming message.

> Checked by AVG Free Edition.

> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1213 - Release Date: 07/01/2008

09:14

>

[Guest guest]

Nobody cares like you do yourself -- mind you I reckon Celia has the

energy to make them care.

xx Sally

bbrowne123 wrote:

>

> those figures are unbelievable!!

>

> agree home schooling could be just as good with the right

> attitude/support

>

> problem is, where do you get people that are experenced

> enough/supportive enough and interested enough? that's always been

> our downfall.

>

> we just can't find the people.

>

>

> >

> >

> > > >>My best friends AS son starts a special school today - its

> £20K

> > per annum

> > > for weekly boarding - he comes home Saturday afternoons and goes

> > back MOnday

> > > morning. This is dyslexia specific but set up is the best she

> has

> > found for

> > > his issues.

> >

> > Autism specific schools have significantly higher fees and if they

> > don't they would be unable to provide much. Having looked at many

> > hundreds of residential schools for autistic children all round the

> > country in great detail, and visited many, they range from the

> > absolutely dreadful around £40K to the well resourced at £110K plus

> > (weekly) £120K plus (residential). If you need 1-1 that is extra.

> IN

> > the Case of The Forum School in Dorset they charged £17,500 per

> term

> > extra on top of fees to provide 1-1. Total cost for year was £180K

> > for 38 week termly full boarding. And they only accept Statemented

> > children. Some schools which provide 2-1 for more severe behaviour

> > charge circa £350K or more. Despite being a very expensive school

> > with great image, good marketing, ponies etc, and offering CFGF, he

> > still came home looking like a skeleton due to inadequate

> nutrition,

> > put on 15 Kilos in first year back at home. None of them provide

> > indidualised package (although many claim to) despite all the

> > children's needs being different, it's all a one size fits all

> > approach which of course does not. Hence many failures. A rotten

> use

> > of funding.

> >

> > I am going to Tribunal in 6 weeks, to get funding for home-based

> > provision. Waking day curriculum staff, trained in ABA and FCT, to

> > teach non-academic curriculum, double up with teachers as support

> > assistants, 52 weeks per year, and a 44 week academic year with

> > qualified teachers coming in to deliver the academic curriculum.

> In

> > other words the same or better than residential provision only

> > delivered at home. Will provide more info off list if anybody is

> > interested.

> >

> > Celia

> >

>

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> No virus found in this incoming message.

> Checked by AVG Free Edition.

> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1213 - Release Date: 07/01/2008

09:14

>

[Guest guest]

A job worth having and worth working to keep in other words.

Sally

celia4259 wrote:

>

> I think that with the right package, i.e full time employment people

> would be more interested. You know, holidy pay sick pay guaranteed

> income. The problem with most home programes is that it is on the

> cheap (due to wanting to win LEA funding) and with staff being self-

> employed on an hourly basis. The original rational for this was burn-

> out on behavioural intervention and needing shift systems in place.

> I do not believe this any more. To get good staff who will be

> permanent you need to have them salaried and highly trained which you

> factor into the budget. I did 7 years of ABA programme on the

> earllier model and it was bloody hard graft - always the problems

> were finding and keeping staff on a schedule which often suited them

> rather than you. Nightmare. With a different basis - employer,

> employee, permanent employment, much easier. Costs much higher but

> why should our kids be short changed just because the LEAs don't

> provide adequate provision in borough?

>

> So my answer to that question is you offer training for the job and

> cost that in and make the LEA pay.

>

> ~Celia

>

>

> > >

> > >

> > > > >>My best friends AS son starts a special school today - its

> > £20K

> > > per annum

> > > > for weekly boarding - he comes home Saturday afternoons and

> goes

> > > back MOnday

> > > > morning. This is dyslexia specific but set up is the best she

> > has

> > > found for

> > > > his issues.

> > >

> > > Autism specific schools have significantly higher fees and if

> they

> > > don't they would be unable to provide much. Having looked at

> many

> > > hundreds of residential schools for autistic children all round

> the

> > > country in great detail, and visited many, they range from the

> > > absolutely dreadful around £40K to the well resourced at £110K

> plus

> > > (weekly) £120K plus (residential). If you need 1-1 that is

> extra.

> > IN

> > > the Case of The Forum School in Dorset they charged £17,500 per

> > term

> > > extra on top of fees to provide 1-1. Total cost for year was

> £180K

> > > for 38 week termly full boarding. And they only accept

> Statemented

> > > children. Some schools which provide 2-1 for more severe

> behaviour

> > > charge circa £350K or more. Despite being a very expensive school

> > > with great image, good marketing, ponies etc, and offering CFGF,

> he

> > > still came home looking like a skeleton due to inadequate

> > nutrition,

> > > put on 15 Kilos in first year back at home. None of them provide

> > > indidualised package (although many claim to) despite all the

> > > children's needs being different, it's all a one size fits all

> > > approach which of course does not. Hence many failures. A rotten

> > use

> > > of funding.

> > >

> > > I am going to Tribunal in 6 weeks, to get funding for home-based

> > > provision. Waking day curriculum staff, trained in ABA and FCT,

> to

> > > teach non-academic curriculum, double up with teachers as support

> > > assistants, 52 weeks per year, and a 44 week academic year with

> > > qualified teachers coming in to deliver the academic curriculum.

> > In

> > > other words the same or better than residential provision only

> > > delivered at home. Will provide more info off list if anybody

> is

> > > interested.

> > >

> > > Celia

> > >

> >

>

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> No virus found in this incoming message.

> Checked by AVG Free Edition.

> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1213 - Release Date: 07/01/2008

09:14

>

[Guest guest]

Only £21,000 for full board? I thought that special needs schools were upwards of £100k when they were boarding schools. The rainbow school here in Wandsworth is around £40k per annum and that's not boarding.

Also, I thought that the special needs schools often don't allow parents to pay privately, they only allow children who have statemented provision into the schools - I hadn't realised that there were actually private SEN schools that allowed parents to pay the fees. I remember reading in Lady Astor's book how she had to fight for provision for her daughter because the school wouldn't let her pay privately.

Either way, it's awful for parents to have to shell out this kind of money just for basic educational needs of their kids.

http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2236191,00.html

[Guest guest]

Only £21,000 for full board? I thought that special needs schools were upwards of £100k when they were boarding schools. The rainbow school here in Wandsworth is around £40k per annum and that's not boarding.

>>My best friends AS son starts a special school today - its £20K per annum for weekly boarding - he comes home Saturday afternoons and goes back MOnday morning. This is dyslexia specific but set up is the best she has found for his issues. It has taken her nearly 5 years to get funding, she has been remortgaging her house to fund independant middle school where he excelled after failing in mainstream. She is distraught about him being residential even if only 5 nights per week but he is cool about it having been for 3 days to see what he thought

Also, I thought that the special needs schools often don't allow parents to pay privately, they only allow children who have statemented provision into the schools - I hadn't realised that there were actually private SEN schools that allowed parents to pay the fees.

>>Many SEN schools are independant - Sam's is so is the one my friends lads will go to, we have no autism specific state schools in Dorset

I remember reading in Lady Astor's book how she had to fight for provision for her daughter because the school wouldn't let her pay privately.

>>The early years unit at Sam's school is about to close due to no pupils - can you beleive it - its a brill class, they take them from 2 years, we have one county council and 2 unitary authorities in Dorset, the unitarys refuse to fund Portfield which is only £25K pa and not much more than LEA maintained MLD with ASd unit that nobody can get in to (they basically said Sam was brain dead so he couldn't go, as he is PMLD).

We have 3 sets of twins resident in unitary who would dearly love to send kids there but only county council will fund and I am not sure why they aren;t sending kids. Have to get my campaign outfit on again. The kids local kids that have transfered in to Portfield when they are older are so severe, how did anybody think they would ever manage in mainstream??? Set them up to fail, stress their parents and then years later admit the kids needs psecialist placement. Its awful

Mandi x

[Guest guest]

This is probably something to do with LAs deliberately avoiding and delaying statementing for as long as possible. The only way round it is for parents to put in a request for statutory assessment as soon as they realise their child has SEN.

>>It was the paed that Dx Sam that refrred him for Stat Asses when he was 2 years 3 months. I thought she was madbecause he was so young and also because I thought her Dx was wrong, not knowing anythign about XYY.

We had his statement in 10 weeks and would have had a place when he was 2 yrs 10 months if the school hadn't decided to give the place to anohter kid, who left after 6 months and Sam started then. Sam was so severe with more than one Dx so we didn;t have to fight. Have had to fight since though to make the school what it is today and at least they go till 19 years. We asked for reassess for VB home porgramme when he was nearly 6, it would have been less than half the price of his current placement but they said no, they don't fund home programme over school age. I wasn't preprared to risk life savings to lose at tribunal and focused on sorting the school instead. Probably a mistake but he is happy there

Mandi x

[Guest guest]

This is probably something to do with LAs deliberately avoiding and

delaying statementing for as long as possible. The only way round it

is for parents to put in a request for statutory assessment as soon

as they realise their child has SEN. If the child is under 2 the law

is that the LA MUST do some kind of assessment in response to a

parental request UNLESS they have reason to believe the child doesn't

have SEN. Our LA illegally refused to assess Henry when he was under

2 so I started my first tribunal. Poor parents: it's pretty

impossible to take on all this as soon as you have a diagnosis.

Schools are now complicit in delay/avoidance of statementing because

they have delegated funding which they can spend on a new carpet for

the Head's office.

Margaret

>

> In a message dated 08/01/2008 09:23:30 GMT Standard Time,

rexel45@...

> writes:

>

> Only £21,000 for full board? I thought that special needs schools

were

> upwards of £100k when they were boarding schools. The rainbow

school here in

> Wandsworth is around £40k per annum and that's not boarding.

>

> >>My best friends AS son starts a special school today - its £20K

per annum

> for weekly boarding - he comes home Saturday afternoons and goes

back MOnday

> morning. This is dyslexia specific but set up is the best she has

found for

> his issues. It has taken her nearly 5 years to get funding, she

has been

> remortgaging her house to fund independant middle school where he

excelled after

> failing in mainstream. She is distraught about him being

residential even if

> only 5 nights per week but he is cool about it having been for 3

days to see

> what he thought

>

>

> Also, I thought that the special needs schools often don't allow

parents to

> pay privately, they only allow children who have statemented

provision into

> the schools - I hadn't realised that there were actually private

SEN schools

> that allowed parents to pay the fees.

>

> >>Many SEN schools are independant - Sam's is so is the one my

friends lads

> will go to, we have no autism specific state schools in Dorset

>

> I remember reading in Lady Astor's book how she had to fight for

provision

> for her daughter because the school wouldn't let her pay

privately.

>

> >>The early years unit at Sam's school is about to close due to no

pupils -

> can you beleive it - its a brill class, they take them from 2

years, we have

> one county council and 2 unitary authorities in Dorset, the

unitarys refuse

> to fund Portfield which is only £25K pa and not much more than LEA

maintained

> MLD with ASd unit that nobody can get in to (they basically said

Sam was

> brain dead so he couldn't go, as he is PMLD).

>

> We have 3 sets of twins resident in unitary who would dearly love

to send

> kids there but only county council will fund and I am not sure why

they aren;t

> sending kids. Have to get my campaign outfit on again. The kids

local kids

> that have transfered in to Portfield when they are older are so

severe, how did

> anybody think they would ever manage in mainstream??? Set them up

to fail,

> stress their parents and then years later admit the kids needs

psecialist

> placement. Its awful

>

> Mandi x

>

[Guest guest]

> >>My best friends AS son starts a special school today - its £20K

per annum

> for weekly boarding - he comes home Saturday afternoons and goes

back MOnday

> morning. This is dyslexia specific but set up is the best she has

found for

> his issues.

Autism specific schools have significantly higher fees and if they

don't they would be unable to provide much. Having looked at many

hundreds of residential schools for autistic children all round the

country in great detail, and visited many, they range from the

absolutely dreadful around £40K to the well resourced at £110K plus

(weekly) £120K plus (residential). If you need 1-1 that is extra. IN

the Case of The Forum School in Dorset they charged £17,500 per term

extra on top of fees to provide 1-1. Total cost for year was £180K

for 38 week termly full boarding. And they only accept Statemented

children. Some schools which provide 2-1 for more severe behaviour

charge circa £350K or more. Despite being a very expensive school

with great image, good marketing, ponies etc, and offering CFGF, he

still came home looking like a skeleton due to inadequate nutrition,

put on 15 Kilos in first year back at home. None of them provide

indidualised package (although many claim to) despite all the

children's needs being different, it's all a one size fits all

approach which of course does not. Hence many failures. A rotten use

of funding.

I am going to Tribunal in 6 weeks, to get funding for home-based

provision. Waking day curriculum staff, trained in ABA and FCT, to

teach non-academic curriculum, double up with teachers as support

assistants, 52 weeks per year, and a 44 week academic year with

qualified teachers coming in to deliver the academic curriculum. In

other words the same or better than residential provision only

delivered at home. Will provide more info off list if anybody is

interested.

Celia

[Guest guest]

those figures are unbelievable!!

agree home schooling could be just as good with the right

attitude/support

problem is, where do you get people that are experenced

enough/supportive enough and interested enough? that's always been

our downfall.

we just can't find the people.

>

>

> > >>My best friends AS son starts a special school today - its

£20K

> per annum

> > for weekly boarding - he comes home Saturday afternoons and goes

> back MOnday

> > morning. This is dyslexia specific but set up is the best she

has

> found for

> > his issues.

>

> Autism specific schools have significantly higher fees and if they

> don't they would be unable to provide much. Having looked at many

> hundreds of residential schools for autistic children all round the

> country in great detail, and visited many, they range from the

> absolutely dreadful around £40K to the well resourced at £110K plus

> (weekly) £120K plus (residential). If you need 1-1 that is extra.

IN

> the Case of The Forum School in Dorset they charged £17,500 per

term

> extra on top of fees to provide 1-1. Total cost for year was £180K

> for 38 week termly full boarding. And they only accept Statemented

> children. Some schools which provide 2-1 for more severe behaviour

> charge circa £350K or more. Despite being a very expensive school

> with great image, good marketing, ponies etc, and offering CFGF, he

> still came home looking like a skeleton due to inadequate

nutrition,

> put on 15 Kilos in first year back at home. None of them provide

> indidualised package (although many claim to) despite all the

> children's needs being different, it's all a one size fits all

> approach which of course does not. Hence many failures. A rotten

use

> of funding.

>

> I am going to Tribunal in 6 weeks, to get funding for home-based

> provision. Waking day curriculum staff, trained in ABA and FCT, to

> teach non-academic curriculum, double up with teachers as support

> assistants, 52 weeks per year, and a 44 week academic year with

> qualified teachers coming in to deliver the academic curriculum.

In

> other words the same or better than residential provision only

> delivered at home. Will provide more info off list if anybody is

> interested.

>

> Celia

>

[Guest guest]

We asked for reassess for VB home porgramme when he was nearly 6, it would have been less

than half the price of his current placement but they said no, they don't fund

home programme over school age.

Some

of the RDI stuff I’m hearing now makes me feel like the worst parent on

earth for EVER doing VB. Not sure I agree entirely with their point of view but

I do a bit so don’t feel guilty Mandi (I’m

sure you’re not actually), there’s always plenty to feel guilty

about and, as you once said, it gets us nowhere. You may well have done the

best thing. SARA

[Guest guest]

I think that with the right package, i.e full time employment people

would be more interested. You know, holidy pay sick pay guaranteed

income. The problem with most home programes is that it is on the

cheap (due to wanting to win LEA funding) and with staff being self-

employed on an hourly basis. The original rational for this was burn-

out on behavioural intervention and needing shift systems in place.

I do not believe this any more. To get good staff who will be

permanent you need to have them salaried and highly trained which you

factor into the budget. I did 7 years of ABA programme on the

earllier model and it was bloody hard graft - always the problems

were finding and keeping staff on a schedule which often suited them

rather than you. Nightmare. With a different basis - employer,

employee, permanent employment, much easier. Costs much higher but

why should our kids be short changed just because the LEAs don't

provide adequate provision in borough?

So my answer to that question is you offer training for the job and

cost that in and make the LEA pay.

~Celia

> >

> >

> > > >>My best friends AS son starts a special school today - its

> £20K

> > per annum

> > > for weekly boarding - he comes home Saturday afternoons and

goes

> > back MOnday

> > > morning. This is dyslexia specific but set up is the best she

> has

> > found for

> > > his issues.

> >

> > Autism specific schools have significantly higher fees and if

they

> > don't they would be unable to provide much. Having looked at

many

> > hundreds of residential schools for autistic children all round

the

> > country in great detail, and visited many, they range from the

> > absolutely dreadful around £40K to the well resourced at £110K

plus

> > (weekly) £120K plus (residential). If you need 1-1 that is

extra.

> IN

> > the Case of The Forum School in Dorset they charged £17,500 per

> term

> > extra on top of fees to provide 1-1. Total cost for year was

£180K

> > for 38 week termly full boarding. And they only accept

Statemented

> > children. Some schools which provide 2-1 for more severe

behaviour

> > charge circa £350K or more. Despite being a very expensive school

> > with great image, good marketing, ponies etc, and offering CFGF,

he

> > still came home looking like a skeleton due to inadequate

> nutrition,

> > put on 15 Kilos in first year back at home. None of them provide

> > indidualised package (although many claim to) despite all the

> > children's needs being different, it's all a one size fits all

> > approach which of course does not. Hence many failures. A rotten

> use

> > of funding.

> >

> > I am going to Tribunal in 6 weeks, to get funding for home-based

> > provision. Waking day curriculum staff, trained in ABA and FCT,

to

> > teach non-academic curriculum, double up with teachers as support

> > assistants, 52 weeks per year, and a 44 week academic year with

> > qualified teachers coming in to deliver the academic curriculum.

> In

> > other words the same or better than residential provision only

> > delivered at home. Will provide more info off list if anybody

is

> > interested.

> >

> > Celia

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Well thank you Sally - but have to say that energy levels low at the

moment due to lack of sleep (Vit D3 therapy on DS???) but won't let

the bastards off the hook (LEA) and also maybe resurgence of yeast &

para's in boy who is now hugely larger than me and much stronger and

hopefuly a bit scared of me for a while yet, but broke his bed last

night. My recipe to make them care is to give copious quantities of

wine and good food as positive reinforcement :-))))

> > >

> > >

> > > > >>My best friends AS son starts a special school today - its

> > £20K

> > > per annum

> > > > for weekly boarding - he comes home Saturday afternoons and

goes

> > > back MOnday

> > > > morning. This is dyslexia specific but set up is the best she

> > has

> > > found for

> > > > his issues.

> > >

> > > Autism specific schools have significantly higher fees and if

they

> > > don't they would be unable to provide much. Having looked at

many

> > > hundreds of residential schools for autistic children all round

the

> > > country in great detail, and visited many, they range from the

> > > absolutely dreadful around £40K to the well resourced at £110K

plus

> > > (weekly) £120K plus (residential). If you need 1-1 that is

extra.

> > IN

> > > the Case of The Forum School in Dorset they charged £17,500 per

> > term

> > > extra on top of fees to provide 1-1. Total cost for year was

£180K

> > > for 38 week termly full boarding. And they only accept

Statemented

> > > children. Some schools which provide 2-1 for more severe

behaviour

> > > charge circa £350K or more. Despite being a very expensive

school

> > > with great image, good marketing, ponies etc, and offering

CFGF, he

> > > still came home looking like a skeleton due to inadequate

> > nutrition,

> > > put on 15 Kilos in first year back at home. None of them provide

> > > indidualised package (although many claim to) despite all the

> > > children's needs being different, it's all a one size fits all

> > > approach which of course does not. Hence many failures. A rotten

> > use

> > > of funding.

> > >

> > > I am going to Tribunal in 6 weeks, to get funding for home-based

> > > provision. Waking day curriculum staff, trained in ABA and FCT,

to

> > > teach non-academic curriculum, double up with teachers as

support

> > > assistants, 52 weeks per year, and a 44 week academic year with

> > > qualified teachers coming in to deliver the academic curriculum.

> > In

> > > other words the same or better than residential provision only

> > > delivered at home. Will provide more info off list if anybody is

> > > interested.

> > >

> > > Celia

> > >

> >

> >

> > ------------------------------------------------------------------

------

> >

> > No virus found in this incoming message.

> > Checked by AVG Free Edition.

> > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1213 - Release Date:

07/01/2008 09:14

> >

>