Let Down by the System

June 8, 2011 | Blog, Featured

As we approach the last term of the school year I feel that the system has let down Pinkie she is nearly at the end of her reception year and unable to read or write despite loads of input from the teachers who are absolutely brilliant with her.

Where did this go wrong? Well last year we for our annual review with the paediatrician who diagnosed her as globally underdeveloped and as like Perkie she has inherited a gene from me which they think is linked to their learning difficulties. Its a gene that duplicated itself from me and manifested as affecting how they learn. Anyway, during this visit the paediatrician actually recommended that Pinkie went to a special school with a statement of educational needs. So why hasn’t she got a statement or at special school .

The Education Psychologist went to assess her and look at her reports from nursery she was hitting all the targets or was she?. I challenged the fact but got told she didn’t need a statement and would be fine at mainstream school. Let’s face it I am only her mum what do i know ? It makes you feel like hitting your head against a brick wall why don’t they listen to parents more !!!

Now a year later the poor girl is struggling in mainstream with no statement. The school have had concerns and looking at ways of trying to help her. Like she works in small groups etc. They have also noticed how much she has changed these last few months the autistic traits being more prominent. Like we can’t go in to the playground anymore as she can’t cope with the amount of people that are there, the noises, the crowd of parents, so now we have to go through the office. Not that I am complaining no more playground politics. No having to listen to parents waffling on about what party their child is going to next. Bearing in mind Pinkie never gets invited to these parties or invited for tea. These invites for Pinkie are few and far between.

So for Pinkie and many other children like her the system has let her down. She has lost/wasted her first year at school, plus it has put more stress on the school which is also wrong. Why don’t people listen to what’s been said it might have stopped all this and maybe she could have had a really good productive year at school. Time the system was changed ..

26 Comments

Daisybeebee
June 8, 2011 at 5:15 pm

I’m so sorry Pinkie and your family have been let down like this , I’m afraid it is only too typical. My sister fought tooth and nail to get a statement for my nephew and eventually got one with input and support from her local MP , the wonderful David Winnick. Statements cost money and LA’s don’t want to spend it and will do all they can to get out of giving the support these little angels need. Please don’t give up fighting , enlist the help of your MP and stand your ground , you know your child better than anyone. If I can be of any help let me know , I’m sure my sister would give you any advice and support she can. Good luck and big hugs to you all xx
- Wendy
  June 8, 2011 at 6:26 pm
  
  Hi thanks for your comment
  
  It shouldn’t be like this we shouldn’t have to fight. I’m pleased your sister got there in the end such positive news xxxx
Marissa
June 8, 2011 at 6:04 pm

I know exactly how you feel hun ….. My son is 7 and about to start Junior school in September and can barely write his name and cannot read! He still has no statement and the teachers have failed to pick up on his more extensive problems. Imagine our frustration when we recently found out that he has significant problems understanding speech/language! Why did no one notice sooner?? I feel completely failed by the system at the moment and am getting little to no support. I hope things manage to improve for Pinkie soon and she starts getting the support and help she needs. It’s not the way it should be but unfortunatly we just have to keep on hitting our head against the wall until we get what is needed. xxxxx
- Wendy
  June 8, 2011 at 6:23 pm
  
  hI thanks for your comment.
  
  Its so unfair they are letting the children down. Yes the system has let so many of us down its all wrong. I hope you get the help and suppot you need xxxx
Amanda
June 8, 2011 at 6:13 pm

The system lets down every single bloody day!Spoke to our early years woman yesterday re school for Nicholas and I said about special school….she said… oh no… he’sOk!!!! hello!!!!!!!! he is not OK… what child that is Ok goes bananas in roads… screams,cries uncontrollably, hits his hard so hard against walls that i have thought about a crash helmet….. i hate the system!!!! Re Pinkie…. if you have any fight left… keep fighting… huge hugs from me to you!
- Wendy
  June 8, 2011 at 6:21 pm
  
  Hi thanks for your comment.
  
  I am sorry you are having a tough time as well why don’t they listen . Let’s keep fighting for the children xx
@new_fuzzy_bear
June 8, 2011 at 6:16 pm

sorry to hear your troubles, seems that i was one of the lucky ones and got a statement early, i had a really good senco that helped us fight the Educsation Authority and got a LSA for 4 days a week instead of the 1 day the authorities offered. The battle took a year though and is long and hard so dont give up
- Wendy
  June 8, 2011 at 6:20 pm
  
  Hi thanks for your comment.
  
  I think it does help when you get people helping you, just annoys me it takes so long this is the children’s lifes its affecting
  - @new_fuzzy_bear
    June 9, 2011 at 11:04 am
    
    i agree its a shame that the Government has to put money before childs welfare and try to pay for the minimum cover or help it can..
    - Wendy
      June 9, 2011 at 12:30 pm
      
      Hi thanks for your comment
      
      Yes I agree children should come first and at the end of the day its all the children’s welfare at stake isn’t it
Alako
June 8, 2011 at 6:47 pm

No autism for us, but a lot of troubles with learning, reading, writing. But I keep on fighting for my son to stay in a ‘normal’ school, very afraid he should be put apart from a life like everyone else. Still hope for him a life with a jod and family.Hard and alone. May be I’m wrong, but still fighting against french politics. No money here for our disable children either. Teachers are good and friendly with him, but don’t always know how to dell with his problems.
Fighting and sharing with you the pains and the joy !

(sorry, still quite hard to find good words in English)
- Wendy
  June 9, 2011 at 12:29 pm
  
  Hi thank you for your comment
  
  We shouldn’t have to keep fighting but we do as we want the best for our children. We support each other which is great i love the online support network xx
Sharon J
June 8, 2011 at 8:52 pm

I’m so glad I left the UK and didn’t have to bring Paul up in this “system”. Since coming back 12 years ago we’ve had no help, I’m just left to cope with everything alone. The system really doesn’t work here. And yes, what would you know, being as you’re only his mother? I know that feeling all too well.
- Wendy
  June 9, 2011 at 11:01 am
  
  Hi Thanks for your comment
  
  The system is all wrong and like you say there is no support. Don’t they realise that our lives are hard enough .
  
  Oh yes your only the mother gets me course I know them, think thats just an excuse for when they don’t have an explaination
Karen
June 9, 2011 at 12:35 pm

Think this all depends on your county, our daughter started off in mainstream in Nottinghamshire with no statement so we moved to Yorkshire in year 2, statemented straight away and started a special school which is fantastic. She (now 13) has learnt to read and write (Autistic and s. learning difficulties)and has great friends all with special needs is very happy.

Good luck

Karen
- Wendy
  June 9, 2011 at 12:43 pm
  
  Hi thanks for your comment
  
  Yes I think it does depend on countys etc? I am so pleased your daughter as got on so well a very positive step/ Gives me hope for my children thanks you for sharing xx
Pat Davis
June 9, 2011 at 6:46 pm

As a retired special needs teacher I really sympathise with you. ayou should not have to fight for your child to have the education that meets their needs, but unfortunately so many LEAs are cutting back on statementing and special school provision that I don’t know where our special children will be educated in the future. All I can recommend is that you keep fighting, speak to your MP, get the educational psychologist on side and speak to the SENCO again and again. The people who make the most noise seem to get what is needed eventually. Please do not give up, it can be done if you keep the will to fight! Good luck with it xxxx
- Wendy
  June 11, 2011 at 11:14 am
  
  Hi thanks for your comment
  
  Thank you for your support its awful we have to fight as much isn’t it xxx
Jane Gregory
July 3, 2011 at 10:46 pm

I hear of far too many children with special needs, who can’t cope at mainstream (or mainstream can’t cope with them!) yet parents are told they are ‘not severe’ enough to be statemented.
- Wendy
  July 4, 2011 at 9:31 pm
  
  Thanks for your comment
  
  Yes I think that is the case the ones that are left in limbo so to speak, are stuck in a mainstream school
Dombed
July 4, 2011 at 10:16 am

I find this all very worrying.

My daughter is currently at mainstream pre-school, with extra funding for a 1-2-1, that she started at the age of 2 because she has special needs (undiagnosed but probably autism). She starts mainstream nursery at her brothers school (that has good Ofsted report for SEN) in September and her funding application has already gone in, and ed psych will assess whether she needs a dual registration with the local special school. We have monthly meetings with early years education, ed psych, school nurses, speech therapy, portage, school, pre-school and family support worker to make sure everything is covered, and we are on the waiting list for an official diagnosis.

I keep being assured that she won’t be left behind, but I do wonder whats going to really happen. We have to fight every day in general life. Its disgraceful that we should have to fight to get the right care for our children too.
- Wendy
  July 4, 2011 at 9:30 pm
  
  Thank you for your comment
  
  I think made a valid point there in that last sentence we do need to fight. Its all wrong I agree. It sounds like you have it all covered and hopefully you will be fine
Bee
July 6, 2011 at 8:11 pm

My son has had four primary schools, mainstream to PRU, PRU back to a different mainstream, then a SEN school last November.. He leaves there in two weeks as he is off to a SEN High School in September. It’s has been a fight to get him into a High School which I thought would be suitable for him. For any child to move school 5 times in less than 3 years is awful, for a child who does not like changes it’s been a nightmare.
I have learnt to question, be objective, oppose decisions, fight for my son’s rights and appeal against the LA.
If something does not seem right or you feel unsure, always ask questions.
Keep all your correspondence and assessment reports in one file.
If you are unsure what (the jargon actually means) on your reports, speak to the person who did the assessment and ask them to explain anything you may feel unsure about.
You can also contact your local Parent Partnership Services for impartial confidential advice and support.
http://busybee.info
- Wendy
  July 7, 2011 at 2:28 pm
  
  Thank you for your comment
  
  That is awful that your son has to go through all this. Thank you for your advice will definitely keep everything together.
  
  It is a big minefield isn’t it and it was easy to get lost in it all , thank you
jontybabe
July 19, 2011 at 4:40 pm

My daughter struggled for 3 years in mainstream as we had to wait over 2 years for a statement. That statement recommended that she attend a MLD unit within a mainstream school. I went mad because any fool could have seen that her difficulties lay deeper than her education needs. I created such a fuss and threatened newspapers and court action until I got her into a MLD school. Unfortunately things have not worked out for her at this school, but that is down mostly to the staff rather than it not being an appropriate environment for her. She is hopefully moving now to a SLD school in september which will best meet her needs. Everything it seems is always going to be a battle for us as parents of special kids. But we are the best people to kick ass!
- Wendy
  July 25, 2011 at 9:46 am
  
  Thank you for your comment
  
  It annoys me when they can’t see what is wrong with them. Yes we will definitely fight xx