Fighting The System For Sen Support by Lisa Lloyd

Preventing The System For SEN Help by Lisa Lloyd

Lisa Lloyd is a mum of two neurodivergent kids, and is the co-founder of SEND Reform England. She raises consciousness on the truth of hidden disabilities and the realties of elevating neurodivergent kids, providing help and group to these on an analogous journey.

Her debut e-book ‘Raising the SEN-Betweeners’ revealed by Ebury at Penguin Random Home, is out now.

It charts the highs, the lows and the delightfully neurospicy – this e-book is for each dad or mum elevating the ‘in-between’ kids in a neurotypical world. You possibly can be a part of Lisa Lloyd on the rollercoaster journey of elevating neurodivergent kids who don’t match the mainstream however aren’t thought of ‘extreme’ both. Lisa has been there and is able to inform all – from the confusion of the early years and discovering your youngster is neurodivergent, to navigating a college system that doesn’t appear to suit, and the day by day frustrations of choosing your battles (and shedding most of them).

Ever puzzled what would occur when you took your autistic three-year-old on a haunted ghost journey? Or what your response can be in case your seven-year-old grabbed a stranger’s backfat within the altering rooms? Marvel no extra! Elevating the SEN-Betweeners is a really sincere information for all these mother and father in comparable footwear, navigating the challenges, joys and hilariously unpredictable moments day-after-day. If that’s you, this e-book will make one factor very clear: you aren’t alone.

It’s a brilliantly frank, informative and importantly, supportive e-book, and it’s an honour to have Lisa share extra of her experiences on my weblog in her visitor publish beneath. Over to Lisa!

For many who don’t know me, I’m Lisa, referred to as ASD with a G and T on social media and the writer of Elevating the SEN-Betweeners. I’ve two autistic kids and have just lately been identified with autism myself.

Elevating my kids has proven me what a battle it’s to get any help when you will have a toddler with extra wants. It could usually really feel like us mother and father are being ignored and just like the world is towards us, which is likely one of the causes I created my pages online- I needed a secure house for individuals to come back with out feeling judged. 

After my son’s analysis, I assumed we might get plenty of help however, sadly, I used to be improper. We had one other battle on our palms: to show that he wanted extra help in school. 

Many people SEN mother and father are already operating on no sleep, following strict routine schedules and battling to maintain our youngsters’ garments on. Once I let you know now we have little or no time left to – basically -train ourselves as attorneys and combat the system for help, I imply it. 

The issue is that your youngster normally has to fail with a purpose to get the precise help. We wanted an EHCP (Schooling Well being Care Plan), however we have been refused the primary time because the native authority wouldn’t even come out to evaluate him. 

So, we needed to collect extra proof and present them that he wasn’t progressing with out the EHCP. Although he was verbal and had low care wants, he nonetheless was unable to handle in his mainstream faculty. The noise was an excessive amount of, and he wanted fixed motion breaks in addition to help with the work being set. 

However, too many instances, the choice on whether or not to grant an EHCP or not comes right down to how the kid is performing academically. It hardly ever issues concerning the youngster’s psychological well being and wellbeing, so long as they’re attaining of their work. 

The irritating factor is, our youngsters may probably obtain a lot extra and achieve this effectively academically, in the event that they got the right help within the appropriate surroundings for them to study. Discovering the precise surroundings for the SEN-Betweeners is extremely onerous. 

I name them the SEN-Betweeners as a result of they’re those who wrestle to slot in anyplace. They’ll’t deal with mainstream education however should not thought of extreme sufficient for a SEN faculty. These kids discover themselves left within the center someplace, normally caught in mainstream, however left within the corridors – excluded from class. 

Do I blame the lecturers for this? Completely not. I believe that the majority lecturers are simply as pissed off as us mother and father are and need that extra may very well be carried out for our youngsters. However with so little funding, it’s inconceivable for colleges to fulfill the wants of all their particular person kids. 

So, what may be carried out? Whereas ready for an EHCP to be determined, we must be asking the colleges to make affordable changes. Affordable changes don’t value the college any cash and even the smallest of adjustments will help our youngsters to handle higher. College uniform for instance, can create plenty of upset for kids who’ve sensory points. Permitting kids to have a extra relaxed uniform – with a purpose to make them extra snug – will imply that the kid isn’t so distracted by their discomfort all day and is ready to study higher. 

The federal government have just lately been speaking about how essential faculty attendance is, and college avoidance may be very excessive with SEN pupils. We have to begin making faculty a extra neurodivergent-friendly setting for our youngsters and these affordable changes are one of many first steps in making this occur. 

I additionally consider each mainstream faculty ought to have a SEN provision inside it- a spot the place the kid can go to take a while away from the mainstream surroundings. A spot the place they will be at liberty to stim (arm, hand flapping and many others.) and transfer. A spot that’s geared up with sensory gear to assist them regulate once more. How do I do know that these provisions assist? As a result of I’ve seen this with my very own youngster, Finley. Earlier than he was allowed to attend this SEN provision at his faculty, he was having meltdowns day-after-day and was more and more falling behind along with his schoolwork. As soon as he was in a position to attend the specialist provision, he was a lot happier and started progressing once more. 

So, my message to any mother and father on the market who could be studying this, is please hold combating. I do know it’s onerous, however our youngsters need to have an schooling appropriate to their wants and so they definitely need to be glad. There have been many instances that I felt like giving up and felt utterly remoted on this journey, however I promise you, you’re not alone. There are some mother and father simply originally of their journey, parenting neurodivergent kids, some on the finish and many people proper within the thick of it… And I’m a type of within the center heading face first into the ‘horrible teenage years’. Please ship assist! 

Keep sturdy guys and hold combating.

You should purchase Lisa’s e-book here.

Pictures credit score: Andrew Hayes-Watkins.