Coroner calls for Asperger's accommodation

[Guest guest]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/03/2436723.htm

Coroner calls for Asperger's accommodation

Posted 1 hour 36 minutes ago

The South Australian Coroner has called for permanent accommodation

to be set up for children with Asperger's Syndrome, based on the

death of a teenager two years ago.

Rowan Wheaton, 18, hanged himself in a temporary housing facility at

Christies Beach, where he was placed after his parents pleaded for

years for help.

Coroner Mark s said the ad hoc housing arrangement was expensive

and unsuccessful.

He said a permanent solution needs to be established for up to 100

children with the syndrome whose parents are unable to support them.

[Guest guest]

Total dilemma over this one.

Good to have a refuge from unsympathetic families. If you are going to

be in an institution at all, good to have a specialised place separate

to NT kids' institutions. But who is going to decide if a family who

are sympatethetic, where the child is just not delivering on school

targets set by NTs, is not coping? Can these institutions be used as a

threat to shove parents around?

[Guest guest]

I have a similar dilemna about this. If it is developed as a punitive institution, I think that is appalling. If it is used as a place where a young person can go to regroup and to receive caring support in developing independent living skills, then perhaps that is better, however if the family and school do not receive training as well, the young person would go back to a similar toxic environment. I also worry that the psychological effect of being sent away would be very damaging, leaving the young person feeling as if he or she was unloved and or unlovable. I know of young people who have really enjoyed residential school in Britain and also some who were suicidal in the same situation, so obviously it is not a solution that suits all.

Re: Coroner calls for Asperger's accommodation

Total dilemma over this one.

Good to have a refuge from unsympathetic families. If you are going to be in an institution at all, good to have a specialised place separate to NT kids' institutions. But who is going to decide if a family who are sympatethetic, where the child is just not delivering on school targets set by NTs, is not coping? Can these institutions be used as a threat to shove parents around?

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[Guest guest]

>

> Total dilemma over this one.

>

> Good to have a refuge from unsympathetic families. If you are going

to

> be in an institution at all, good to have a specialised place

separate

> to NT kids' institutions. But who is going to decide if a family who

> are sympatethetic, where the child is just not delivering on school

> targets set by NTs, is not coping? Can these institutions be used as

a

> threat to shove parents around?

>

I am unsure what your take on this is but " institutions are used as a

threat " to push parents around. There are so many issues that make it

difficult for a chils to learn and lots of supports that must be in

place that are from school to home and back.

Schools have to work with families and families with schools.

Families need to be on board and directed in effective supports for

children. Literally an environment and lifestle need to be adopted.

I am not talking about ABA, I am talking about acceptance, but what

happens is instead of thinking in terms of needs and supports it comes

to money Namely who pays for what and if they can shift it to someone

else.

Some parents go in circles trying to find a program that works

Ratio of children per class, cirriculum that works for a child; math

and reading programs that capture a child and engage them to learn.

Too many times a school wants to leave a child delayed because they get

money for that and also teaching so that a child standardizes is costly

and they look to offset costs. They end up playing round Robin with

parents making them feel guilty for not (anything, everything)

instead of coming up with ways to teach the child in front of them

they: place blame, talk about disability, cures etc, etc

institutions can be a haven for some and a hell for others. If you

have a supportive family that is the best place, if your family is full

of monsters than another place is better, but those places represent a

loss of choices.

Ranging from what you eat to when how often, what you wear, who washes

it, buys it , picks it out ETC. It is a nursing home for displaced

children, and it always makes me sad