My youngest boy was diagnosed with Autism in Feb of this year. He is average in attainment but struggles massively with understanding social situations and regulating behaviour and emotions appropriately. This creates a massive barrier to learning for him and puts him at a significant disadvantage to his peers. Since his diagnosis, I have been fighting to get him an EHCP so he can get the extra help he needs to be successful and happy at school. It’s been an absolute nightmare and the result is that I am now going to tribunal to get my son the support he needs. School and the LA have not been able to support me whatsoever because of these cuts and it’s just disgusting. My little boy deserves an equal opportunity to an education just like any other neuro typical child – he is a bright special boy and could just be an AMAZING adult, just like so many autistic people. We are currently putting further and unnecessary obstacles in his path due to the austerity that this government is inflicting on our society’s most vulnerable people. I refuse to sit back and watch my little boy’s mental health and well being, as well as his future, deplete in this way. I will NOT have it and will NOT rest until my boy is supported appropriately….quite possibly at the risk of my own sanity as the stress of this fight is just so overwhelming for parents, carers and all the families of SEN children. It’s not right, just or acceptable and this current government should be ashamed of this disgraceful, discriminatory behaviour.
