You are so right. As someone who works in a school, there is no catering for those children who are struggling in mainstream but wouldn't need a specialist school education. It needs to change.
Thank you Kellie for sharing something so personal. My son is nearly 17 and due to his needs and disability we didn’t have to fight for his EHCP and went to a specialist school and now at a college with a specialist department. I know so many that had to fight or who are fighting and it’s heart breaking, these children are the future and need support no matter what their abilities are. Our son will need full time care for the rest of his life and the future scare the hell out of us, but we will continue to fight even on days we feel completely broken for him.
This is the first of this series that I’ve ever watched and I was gripped. This resonates on many levels for me, as a neuro diverse mum of neuro diverse children working as a teacher in a mainstream primary school and seeing the curriculum that really is only accessible to a narrow slice of children. Luckily in today’s society there are baby steps towards supporting neuro diversity but the biggest barriers to this is time and manpower. We have to fly through the timetable at a rate of knots because there is so much to cover and that makes it hard for many children to keep up with it. We don’t have time to go back over things, which I find very sad. Manpower - so few LSAs because of tight school budgets means that we don’t have that extra person who can just take a child to one side and say “let’s go over that again more slowly” or “you look like you need a brain break, let’s play a game” - the government simply needs to consider what impact it’s having on the future workforce and therefore economy by reducing money available to schools and insisting on so much being packed into the curriculum. Also, not enough money allocated for educational support services / SEND.
Fighting for evrything your sen child needs & deserves is exhausting and so emotionally draining. I hope you can use your platform to fight for families like us.
Thankyou for this.. it's truly exhausting my son is 8 years old and summer born and is on path way for autism and adhd and dyspraxia.. but it's been a long road.. he stimms alot even when walking down the street.. his super intelligent but can't block off surroundings.. his teachers are at a loss but they see his potential but have no idea how to help him he often has work books completely empty. Dosnt socialise. the difficult thing is his happy at school but his not fully getting support .. am in the same boat of not knowing if a specialist school would be the best but I know he'd find that challenging too but even then there's a huge waiting list so he might not even get in there .. definatly understand the want for that middle ground school such a shame and emotionaly hard not knowing what's right.. am nurodiverce too so I can see his struggles and its so tough
It took going on 4 years before my son was excepted for EHCP plan and was in main stream school alot longer than what he should of been I wish I could tell my journey with my son but it would be so long. Positive is that my son is in a SEN school and is so happy and feels like he belongs and is getting the support what he needs.
I'm a nursery practitioner and have just started the process for a child's EHCP. I hope they get the help they need in the future. They are 2 at the moment so I'm sure with the support from my setting and amazing SENCO team they will get the EHCP through. Ide love to work as a SENCO some time in the future.
I had my first during Covid and Kellie is so right, the anxiety of the late scans saying the baby is too big/small especially when it’s your first and you’ve got no support as it is was truly awful and unnecessary! 😢
I was 38 when I had my last 10 years after my first 2 . I had to go once a month for measuring and scans got diagnosed under active thyroid and medicate during the pregnancy , they said baby was too big and wouldn’t let me go over 38 weeks , she was 8.6 when I did just go into labour naturally and I wanted to feel it too like Kelly said I knew it would be my last , I had the 3 tier birthing bed best thing ever!!
Completely here you my sons EHCP took way longer than it should. Frustratingly even though we have one it’s still not being implemented in his setting.
No, I have to correct that about the EHCP, it's not supposed to take 20 weeks from when you're told you'll get one, the ENTIRE process from the application being received by the LA to the EHCP having been finalised is meant to take 20 weeks, full stop. It's a legal timeframe and sadly most of our LA's have no intention of keeping to it, as delaying it helps them spread out the very limited school places for SEN children.
I’m not a parent, but I am a dyspraxic (diagnosed in childhood), autistic (diagnosed age 18) and ADHD (diagnosed aged 20) adult who has been through the mainstream education system with little to no adequate SEND Support; I really struggled in school and very few people picked up on it (including my parents who didn’t know anything about neurodiversity) or did anything to really support me. Although I finished school with fairly good grades and am studying at university, I went through life feeling like there was something wrong with me and that I wasn’t good enough. The education system isn’t built for SEND students and I feel it sets us up to fail; they don’t offer enough for us to thrive. I really feel for parents, children and adults who are fighting for adequate support and education for SEND students. Something needs to change, although we are more open to neurodiversity and disability but there is still a lacking in inclusion and it’s not right. Keep fighting and don’t give up ❤
Having dyslexia, my parents were constantly coming into school to make sure I had the support I needed to succeed. Unfortunately I was only able to get my diagnose at 18 years old, due to the lack of funding in my local authority
We're currently fighting the LA to amend my son's EHCP which states a mainstream setting is suitable to a specialist one. Having to fill out paperwork for a tribunal is intimidating, and I feel the support is not as good as it could be. My son is 4 years old with ASD and sensory processing disorder, he has delayed mobility issues, constantly puts things in his mouth and stuffs food so is a high risk of choking. I'm sick of people telling me they know what's best for my son by what they read on paper, the reality in person is vastly different. He needs life skills so he can be as independent as possible in the future. Not being forced into an archaic academic system that sets reaching targets as it's qualifying factor for success. 😢
My son was George for about a week teddies and bibs babygrows with his name on but no it wasn’t right he was mikey (Michael) he’s 22 now definitely not a George 🤷🏻♀️ 😂😂👌 he is also SEN , a teacher said to me very early on who had an autistic son Louise you are really his only champion (I’m a single mum) and you are his voice , all anyone had done up to then was tell him off or tell me it’s because he doesn’t have a dad , I fought so hard xxx
My daughter needed help at primary school whn we found out she was born with Nystagmus but being told she was falling over or tripping up coz I was putting wrong size shoes on her
A locum midwife is so stupid, how can she be responsible for bringing a child into world when they don’t even know where anything is. Also not good for that doctor to randomly bring up something traumatic years later. Kellie, you should’ve put a complaint in.
Kellie Bright, you have hit the nail on the head. I’m not prepared for my child’s childhood to be ruined by a school that can’t meet his needs.
You are so right. As someone who works in a school, there is no catering for those children who are struggling in mainstream but wouldn't need a specialist school education. It needs to change.
Thank you Kellie for sharing something so personal. My son is nearly 17 and due to his needs and disability we didn’t have to fight for his EHCP and went to a specialist school and now at a college with a specialist department. I know so many that had to fight or who are fighting and it’s heart breaking, these children are the future and need support no matter what their abilities are.
Our son will need full time care for the rest of his life and the future scare the hell out of us, but we will continue to fight even on days we feel completely broken for him.
Best chat in a long time!! Such real true words from this lovely lady!! Xxx
This is the first of this series that I’ve ever watched and I was gripped. This resonates on many levels for me, as a neuro diverse mum of neuro diverse children working as a teacher in a mainstream primary school and seeing the curriculum that really is only accessible to a narrow slice of children. Luckily in today’s society there are baby steps towards supporting neuro diversity but the biggest barriers to this is time and manpower. We have to fly through the timetable at a rate of knots because there is so much to cover and that makes it hard for many children to keep up with it. We don’t have time to go back over things, which I find very sad. Manpower - so few LSAs because of tight school budgets means that we don’t have that extra person who can just take a child to one side and say “let’s go over that again more slowly” or “you look like you need a brain break, let’s play a game” - the government simply needs to consider what impact it’s having on the future workforce and therefore economy by reducing money available to schools and insisting on so much being packed into the curriculum. Also, not enough money allocated for educational support services / SEND.
❤❤❤❤thanks for shining a light on our children 🎉
Fighting for evrything your sen child needs & deserves is exhausting and so emotionally draining. I hope you can use your platform to fight for families like us.
Thankyou for this.. it's truly exhausting my son is 8 years old and summer born and is on path way for autism and adhd and dyspraxia.. but it's been a long road.. he stimms alot even when walking down the street.. his super intelligent but can't block off surroundings.. his teachers are at a loss but they see his potential but have no idea how to help him he often has work books completely empty. Dosnt socialise. the difficult thing is his happy at school but his not fully getting support .. am in the same boat of not knowing if a specialist school would be the best but I know he'd find that challenging too but even then there's a huge waiting list so he might not even get in there .. definatly understand the want for that middle ground school such a shame and emotionaly hard not knowing what's right.. am nurodiverce too so I can see his struggles and its so tough
So true, keep fighting for our Sen children xx
Can’t agree more x
It took going on 4 years before my son was excepted for EHCP plan and was in main stream school alot longer than what he should of been I wish I could tell my journey with my son but it would be so long. Positive is that my son is in a SEN school and is so happy and feels like he belongs and is getting the support what he needs.
I'm a nursery practitioner and have just started the process for a child's EHCP. I hope they get the help they need in the future. They are 2 at the moment so I'm sure with the support from my setting and amazing SENCO team they will get the EHCP through. Ide love to work as a SENCO some time in the future.
Loved this ❤
I had my first during Covid and Kellie is so right, the anxiety of the late scans saying the baby is too big/small especially when it’s your first and you’ve got no support as it is was truly awful and unnecessary! 😢
I was 38 when I had my last 10 years after my first 2 . I had to go once a month for measuring and scans got diagnosed under active thyroid and medicate during the pregnancy , they said baby was too big and wouldn’t let me go over 38 weeks , she was 8.6 when I did just go into labour naturally and I wanted to feel it too like Kelly said I knew it would be my last , I had the 3 tier birthing bed best thing ever!!
Completely here you my sons EHCP took way longer than it should. Frustratingly even though we have one it’s still not being implemented in his setting.
No, I have to correct that about the EHCP, it's not supposed to take 20 weeks from when you're told you'll get one, the ENTIRE process from the application being received by the LA to the EHCP having been finalised is meant to take 20 weeks, full stop. It's a legal timeframe and sadly most of our LA's have no intention of keeping to it, as delaying it helps them spread out the very limited school places for SEN children.
I’m not a parent, but I am a dyspraxic (diagnosed in childhood), autistic (diagnosed age 18) and ADHD (diagnosed aged 20) adult who has been through the mainstream education system with little to no adequate SEND Support; I really struggled in school and very few people picked up on it (including my parents who didn’t know anything about neurodiversity) or did anything to really support me. Although I finished school with fairly good grades and am studying at university, I went through life feeling like there was something wrong with me and that I wasn’t good enough. The education system isn’t built for SEND students and I feel it sets us up to fail; they don’t offer enough for us to thrive. I really feel for parents, children and adults who are fighting for adequate support and education for SEND students. Something needs to change, although we are more open to neurodiversity and disability but there is still a lacking in inclusion and it’s not right. Keep fighting and don’t give up ❤
Having dyslexia, my parents were constantly coming into school to make sure I had the support I needed to succeed. Unfortunately I was only able to get my diagnose at 18 years old, due to the lack of funding in my local authority
We're currently fighting the LA to amend my son's EHCP which states a mainstream setting is suitable to a specialist one. Having to fill out paperwork for a tribunal is intimidating, and I feel the support is not as good as it could be.
My son is 4 years old with ASD and sensory processing disorder, he has delayed mobility issues, constantly puts things in his mouth and stuffs food so is a high risk of choking. I'm sick of people telling me they know what's best for my son by what they read on paper, the reality in person is vastly different. He needs life skills so he can be as independent as possible in the future. Not being forced into an archaic academic system that sets reaching targets as it's qualifying factor for success. 😢
My child is in a non mainstream school and ita still just as heartbreaking
She didn't say it's not
I have a adhd daughter and son undiagnosed its so hard zx
My son was George for about a week teddies and bibs babygrows with his name on but no it wasn’t right he was mikey (Michael) he’s 22 now definitely not a George 🤷🏻♀️ 😂😂👌 he is also SEN , a teacher said to me very early on who had an autistic son Louise you are really his only champion (I’m a single mum) and you are his voice , all anyone had done up to then was tell him off or tell me it’s because he doesn’t have a dad , I fought so hard xxx
My daughter needed help at primary school whn we found out she was born with Nystagmus but being told she was falling over or tripping up coz I was putting wrong size shoes on her
Honestly this is why so many of us are turning to home education.
❤
I fighted all thru her primary school for help
A locum midwife is so stupid, how can she be responsible for bringing a child into world when they don’t even know where anything is. Also not good for that doctor to randomly bring up something traumatic years later. Kellie, you should’ve put a complaint in.