Preparing for Primary School
Preparing for Patrick starting Primary School was quite different from the experience his big sister had (she’s a typical girl) and it came as a shock to my system…
When I first heard the words “special school” (which I really detest) and went for a visit, it shook me to my core.
I thought “Patrick doesn’t belong here!”
I had a phone call from the Transport Department telling me “the bus will pick him up from your home daily” and I actually said, “omg is it a yellow bus?!” and then proceeded to have a complete melt down.
Looking back, I feel really ashamed that this was my first thought but I will be honest, this was all I knew!
After a long time of talking, mostly to other parents and the brilliant staff at ENABLE Scotland’s RASCALS, I got my head around the fact that:
- It’s a bus, same as all the kids who get a bus to school, only this one picks him up at the door;
- It’s not a “special school”, it is an “additional support school” – because my boy just needs a bit of extra support that he would never get in a mainstream school.
Personally, I definitely do not agree with the “presumption to mainstream” policy either; our kids should be assessed individually on their specific needs, and best placed in the school which can facilitate their needs.
I do, however, agree with early intervention – if we can get the right support early enough, the outcomes can be so much better. 
Disability Living Allowance is a nightmare of a form; however, you can get help from ENABLE Scotland to fill it in. I generally complete it over two weeks, doing a bit per day in manageable chunks, and once you’ve done it once, I promise it gets easier.
Visit here to find hints and tips on how to complete the form.
Find out more information about our Welfare Rights service
In my next blog I will talk about “Self-Directed Support” …which is brilliant when it works!
Stay safe and I promise you, things get better, they do not get worse, they get better ❤️
