Child-Free.. as free as the wind blows..
This morning, without so much as a backwards glance, both our autistic children climbed on board a coach with their classmates and set off for their annual trip to PGL. …
Category: special needs
UK lacks Adult Autism/Asperger’s Services
The news today that eight out of ten doctors need more help to spot autism shows the huge gap in services available, particularly for adults with ASD in the UK. …
Long ago..when I was somebody
Long, long ago, before I was ‘Special Needs Mum’, I had a great career as a television journalist and news reader. I loved it – the job, the lifestyle, the …
Many autism cases ‘undiagnosed’ – BBC News
A significant number of children with autism and related disorders could be undiagnosed, a study has suggested. (Reports BBC News Online) A Cambridge University team looked at existing diagnoses – …
Sports Day at More House School
We’ve just come home from Sports Day. This always used to be a day of tears, upset and general not wanting to go to school. That is, until they started …
Well said, Mr Bercow!
I’ve just read in full the House of Commons debate on the second reading of the Special Educational Needs and Disability (Support) bill last Friday. I must highlight one particular …
Government Supports Autism Bill (UK)
The Government has, for the first time, declared its support for what could be England’s first Autism Bill. The National Autistic Society (NAS) celebrated the move as a vital development …
Great News – A Statement!
Got the news we had been waiting for today – Son1 has got the Statement of Special Educational Needs we had applied for. Don’t have all the details yet and …
ASD child? Are you getting what you’re entitled to?
If you are the parent of a child with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder, you don’t need me to tell you how difficult a ‘normal’ lifestyle can be. Not only will …
Celebrate Calm – well worth signing up for.
I am taking the liberty of quoting from an email newsletter I subscribe to ‘Celebrate Calm, written by Kirk Martin. It is about his son who, like many of our …
The new arrival
I am not a doggie person. My husband is not a doggie person. And yet, yesterday, we brought home a puppy. Leo the Labradoodle. We have read that dogs are …
Autism Costs UK economy £28 billion
A new study into the economic impact of autism spectrum disorders in the UK has shown that the total estimated cost is £28 billion each year. That averages out at …
New SENDIST rules
At the same PWP workshop, Simon Oliver, Deputy President of Care Standards Tribunal and judicial lead for SENDIST management team gave a presentation about the new SEND rules. He wanted …
Surrey to review SEN Assessments
I recently attended a Partnership with Parents workshop in Surrey. The subject matters were an explanation of the new SEND rules given by one of the co-chairmen,an update on the …
SEN Assessment Form Part 2
Please note this is from the pre-2014 SEN system in England. Further to the earlier blog ‘The SEN Assessment Form – Yikes!’ I thought it might be useful for some …
The SEN Assessment Form – Yipes!
NOTE: This post is from the pre-2014 SEND reforms in England. However, the advice is still useful, whichever jurisdiction you live in A few people have mentioned to me how …
Diary of a Special Needs Mum Pt 1
I was talking to the head of the Juniors Department at my sons’ school the other day. She noted that parents of children without special needs had no idea how …
Angel of Mercenary
Someone rear-ended my car yesterday while I was waiting in a queue of traffic. My 8 year old ASD son was in the car with me at the time; thankfully …