Re: Sharing our good news-Thank you Pam

[Guest guest]

Thank you for the support Pam. I'm meeting with a new advocate tomorrow, along with my son's ABA therapist. Hopefully we can come up with a good strategy for our next IEP meeting which will be in Jan after the Christmas break. So we get to take a little breather with school being out. We are all needing this break, especially our son. I appreciate you listening to me vent. I have no choice but to keep fighting for my son. I just get so frustrated sometimes that it feels like you're all alone and no one else could possibly understand. ne

From: PLBarrett@... <PLBarrett@...>Subject: Re: ( ) Sharing our good news-Pam Date: Friday, December 17, 2010, 11:12 AM

Wow this shouldn't be happening to anyone.... much less someone who needs support. I'm not going to be able to help you very much, but I'd find out if there is a parents helping parents group.... and get someone strong on your side right away.... call an IEP meeting right now... as it may take awhile... and put in goal about working towards independence or fading adult assistance in his areas of needs. If they are using "safety" type language... perhaps he needs a one-to-one assistant to get his "free and appropriate education".

My 2 cents... from California.... hopefully you someone in this group is in your state and can lead you to a helpful resource.... my heart goes out to your son and especially to you.

Pam

( ) Sharing our good news. > > Date: Thursday, December 16, 2010, 2:26 PM > > > Â > > hello all, > > I am quite new to this group but have taken so much support from the posts that you all share. Today i won a 3 month battle with my local education authority (I live in England) > > My son (ADHD, Asperger's

and Dyslexia)has not been at school for three months. Things had been going badly at his middle school since he started 18 months ago. All of the professionals kept saying that he could cope in a mainstream school with support, but this sadly was not the case. > > After countless suspensions and finally a suicide attempt I withdrew him from school and demanded a special school placement. I was told that there were no available places at any special schools in my area :-( > > Then I heard about a brand new private school that had only just opened, near to where I live, who specialise in education for children with complex needs, they incorporate holistic therapies with vocational bespoke education plans and they have provision for children and young adults up to the age of 25. I arranged a visit and fell in love. > > I was told that in the UK the education department can fund places at private schools if it is

proved that there are no places at government funded schools, but they will do everything they can not to give this funding...and so my fight began. > > It has been a long and tiring battle and I have been at breaking point soooo many times but I refused to give up, knowing in my heart that this school would be the best possible placement for my son. The past few months have been the worst we've ever had (daily meltdowns, depression, aggression etc) and I almost lost my job. > > I finally won my case today and my son starts school in January. I am elated. I know that there is still a long journey ahead of us and nothing is ever easy with our children, but I want to say NEVER GIVE UP. If we don't fight for our kids who will? > > Thank you for sharing on this site. You have given me more inspiration than you probably realise. > > Becky

xx>------------------------------------