Small is in a mainstream school, but does receive extra support because she has a statement of special educational needs. The statement isn't adequate for her needs, and is being contested by my parents and the school at the moment - the statement only allows for five hours of support a week, paid for by the local education authority, but the school had employed a full-time support assistant out of their own budget because of Small. It is an excellent school, and the best place for her out of the available option. She does have a lot of support in place. It just isn't quite enough, and that is down to the LEA not wanting to pay for more. The main difficulty is that although she tests on the autistic spectrum, her disability isn't profound. Which should be a good thing, but in fact being on the borderline just makes her all the more vulnerable - she isn't disabled enough to qualify for special programmes or extra support, but she is disabled enough that she will always be incredibly vulnerable.
It is getting worse as she gets older, definitely. She sees other children her age having a lot more freedom, and wants it too, but isn't able to cope with it. She's going through puberty, but isn't mature enough to deal with all those changes. She is old enough to get herself into a lot of trouble, but not responsible enough to make the right choices. And this is at 12 - it is terrifying to think what she'll be like at 15/16! So we just soldier on and do our best, and hope to keep her grounded enough to get by.
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Small is in a mainstream school, but does receive extra support because she has a statement of special educational needs. The statement isn't adequate for her needs, and is being contested by my parents and the school at the moment - the statement only allows for five hours of support a week, paid for by the local education authority, but the school had employed a full-time support assistant out of their own budget because of Small. It is an excellent school, and the best place for her out of the available option. She does have a lot of support in place. It just isn't quite enough, and that is down to the LEA not wanting to pay for more. The main difficulty is that although she tests on the autistic spectrum, her disability isn't profound. Which should be a good thing, but in fact being on the borderline just makes her all the more vulnerable - she isn't disabled enough to qualify for special programmes or extra support, but she is disabled enough that she will always be incredibly vulnerable.
It is getting worse as she gets older, definitely. She sees other children her age having a lot more freedom, and wants it too, but isn't able to cope with it. She's going through puberty, but isn't mature enough to deal with all those changes. She is old enough to get herself into a lot of trouble, but not responsible enough to make the right choices. And this is at 12 - it is terrifying to think what she'll be like at 15/16! So we just soldier on and do our best, and hope to keep her grounded enough to get by.