Joe le taxi: Another Quick Update.
Regular readers may have noted that there are quite a few posts regarding the ongoing taxi/escort saga with our youngest.
As ever our school has been fantastic but the whole situation has shown up some fundamental flaws in education policy.
I was lucky enough to gatecrash a meeting that one of the education heads was speaking at last week but was unable to get any answers - or be listened to - due to the questions being 'too personal' and not just vague policy/backslapping chat.
Never mind, there was probably a charity photo op' to be had elsewhere.
Anyway, for anyone new (or anyone too lazy too read the posts - here's a quick rundown of the saga so far.*
Enjoy.
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| "Ello Guvna!" |
Assessment meeting with parents, teacher from new school, class teacher, deputy head of old school - Unanimously decided an escort not needed.
1 week before end of term 'someone' not involved in the assessment puts in request for escort.
After informing new school, parents are told this will not happen as it is against policy for a person not involved in the meeting to put in requests so to ignore it.
Day before school term starts taxis cancelled.
Parent phones
transport, transport woman cries, blames school secretary(?).
After 45 minutes
get taxi booked.
But only on an emergency code as the old code has been deleted, not to worry tho' as a new code will be issued.
Still waiting for it by the way.
Four days of ‘normal’ taxi.
Our brood and their friends are happy traveling together and our youngest is being much more vocal at home, talking about
school and sleeping well.
After 4 days two taxis arrive, our three end up in taxi with
escort for 2 days.
We have to send other taxi away assuming its a
mistake.
Escort
sits quietly and watches.....like an errant guardian who may only observe yet not interfere with the world of mere mortals.
Or Autistic kids obviously.
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| "Sorry I'm only taking one of your weans!" |
On day 3 we’re told first taxi is for our youngest only.
But not until our girls are already inside and seatbelted in.
Girlchild 2 has meltdown as we remove her from the taxi.
Actually get thru' to head of transport, get a meeting organised.
The person on the phone finds out I'm a parent and not a city council staff member so tells me the guy in charge is busy so will maybe call me back instead.
Make mental note to lie about who I am in future.
Contact MSP who contact education dept.
Transport ring, tell me they got the MSP email and apologise, say the second taxi will be cancelled from the following Monday but we will continue to have two taxis for the rest of the week
(4 days).
Next day parents receive a curt email from education head saying the issue was all sorted before the MSP contacted her.
As we know from the phonecall, this is a lie.
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| Escorts: Not them. |
No apology for any stress caused and at no point does transport/education dept. contact the school.
All
information is having to be passed on by the parents.
This may be because we're the only people with any idea of how to do anything remotely sensible.
Parents are told that ‘policy’ is that the escort will continue
for ONE CALENDAR MONTH then a new assessment will take place (with
all concerned parties) – we abide by this.
Different escorts every day, some speak and assist, some sit in
silence.
Boychild's sleep broken, speech stops, behavior affected by change.
One month goes by, no meeting, no update on policy breach.
Informed that due to change in boychild’s behavior it's best if he continues to have an escort.
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| I actually have nightmares about this sign now. |
Now before anyone e-mails, we really have no qualms with having an escort assigned at the moment, the problems come from the fact that no-one outside the person on the power trip that put in the second risk assessment was even told about it.
This is interesting because if you take even a quick glance at the every child is
included and supported: Glasgow City Council Education Services’
policy on inclusion it says this:
1. All our staff
will understand and fulfill their
responsibilities to
assess and meet the needs of all
children and young
people.
2. We will ensure
that an appropriate range of
provision is in
place to meet the needs of all
our children and
young people. We will deploy
resources as
flexibly as possible.
3. We will
continually evaluate the impact on children
and young people of
the support we are providing;
and In developing
our approach to inclusion, we will
listen to the voices
of children and young people
and their parents
and carers, and take account of
their views.
Even just taking out
these three bullet points shows that this hasn't actually happened,
especially in relation to the situation.
Scarily the fact that point 3 has been totally ignored doesn't seem to bother anyone at the education department offices.
Which makes you think, how many times and to how many children is this happening?
Plus when they read (I'm assuming that they can read) about Autistic folk needing routine and schedules do they actually think it's all made up and can't be bothered or do they just not care?
Cos frankly this has been anything other than 'routine'.
I'll be honest with you now, about 2 weeks into the whole affair I had what can only be described as a major (no really) meltdown regarding the situation.
Now if that's the effect it's having on an Autistic adult then what the fudge is it doing to the kids?
As ever our school has been brilliant, putting up with our constant calls and visits, even managing to organise (themselves) the same taxi and escort turning up the same time everyday.
This begins tomorrow so fingers crossed it helps.
As an aside I'm currently waiting to hear from Deputy First Minister of Scotland and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills John Swinney regarding a meeting to see how/why such policy breaches can happen and how best to deal with it when it does.
*If tho' the whole breach of protocol situation isn't dealt with then I'm gonna have to name and shame, just so other parents can be aware obviously.
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