Special Educational and Skills Needs: There Are Children Who “Forget”
Most children returned to school after closure, but some with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) did not return or were in schools where their parents said their needs were not being met. What is the life of this family like?
When Ofsted inspectors published a report on SEND pay in central Bedfordshire earlier this year, they didn’t read the report.
They found systemic flaws, poor quality care plans and long-term service reform, driven by Bedfordshire Council and NHS centres.
This has led to a “comprehensive development plan”, but hundreds of parents of SEND children are still not satisfied.
They signed a petition calling for the MPs to be removed saying “they don’t understand the depth of the problem”.
“If we send it to the wrong school, it will be damaged”
In early September, 13-year-old Thomas watched his siblings return to school. But he didn’t.
Thomas has not been in full-time teaching since October 2019, due to issues such as medication and release.
As of now, Thomas, who has “very intense needs,” including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (SAD) and dyslexia, is in high school.
Joanna’s mum, from Leighton Buzzard, said: “Being in the wrong place for the last four years has wiped out everything.
(He hates school, he hates education, and he doesn’t give us the abilities or strategies to adapt to the world, and that’s why we’re fighting for it now.
His parents are now borrowing £15,000 for his “battle” to get “adequate supplies”. They have chosen an attorney and will go to court next month.
She said they were “not alone” and had heard “horror stories” from people in similar situations, including people who had abused their dogs.
Thomas was offered a place at the school with an autism unit, an hour and a half from his home.
Joanna says her need makes her “respectful.”
It felt like they had forgotten us, she said.
I have an insecure 13-year-old son; having no self-esteem or friends; he saw his brothers who did not return to school….
He says he wants to go to school, but if we send him to the wrong school, he will drop out.
“Don’t leave the phone”
Inspectors have found major issues in education, health and care plans (EHCPs) for children in central Bedfordshire, describing them as “inconsistent and often poor quality”.
The plan should indicate any special educational needs the children have and the local authority should set them up to assist.
Lisa from Stotfold said her 11-year-old son with ADHD and autism was in public school with an EHCP that was “very clear and very difficult to uphold”.
(He went back to school and didn’t want to do anything.) It burst the [coronavirus] bubble; he threatened teachers and teachers’ property, she said.
Although his behavior seemed “creepy,” she said, “I didn’t do it because I was an abusive child, he did it because I didn’t understand his situation.”
(This child is very anxious about school, is afraid to stay in school, and does not understand why circumstances have changed and why he is acting a certain way at school.)
There is nothing in your EHCP that will help you with this problem.
The council said (a full, independent review of all EHCPs is underway to ensure our proposed EHCPs are more specific than they currently are.)
Lisa left her job as a science teacher at the school in 2018 because “the pressure of the job and my role in helping my son was unbelievable.”
She now has time to attend workshops, parenting classes and talk to professionals who help her children.
“He never used the phone,” she said.
I feel like the kids in her family and why… they can’t fight this battle, because these kids don’t have the support to be able to nurture and develop the people they need to be, and it’s all a brick wall for her. Advice. Build.
‘He was tired and anxious’.
Rebecca’s 13-year-old son Lucas has a learning disability, meaning he is now working through his early grades: five and six.
Of course being on the SHIPPING list for six years, he received an EHCP last September.
However, Rebecca from Houghton Regis said: “We struggled last year to make it worthwhile.”
The proposal is (not specific in any way – [open to interpretation), he said.
(Don’t ask people to do something; these are all ‘would be beneficial’, ‘should be approved’ and so on.)
Just funny. First you fight for years to get drafted and then you think everything is fine, so you don’t have to fight anymore.
You feel tired and anxious.
Her parents joined the Central Bedfordshire SEND Action Group, and the petition removed board members and Children’s Employment Director representatives Conservative councilors Sue Clark and Amanda Dodwell.
Rebecca said she entered because she was “confused.”
(I keep hearing people say “it’s going to be cool,” but that’s not what I’m seeing.) It’s like the same thing, they say it’s going to be cool and nothing happens.”
I’m sorry you feel bad”.
In response to the question, Mrs Clark said: (Amanda Dodwell and I are fully aware that, of the 7,500 children in central Bedfordshire with special educational needs and disabilities, there are families who are increasingly concerned about the services and support they provide.)
We are sorry for the loss of our service.
Together with our NHS partners, we work hard to achieve sustainable development and are 100% committed to delivering a service we are all proud of.
Developing these characters may save time, but we are committed to rapid, tangible progress and want this work to continue to better serve our children and families.
