The Time Travellers Wife
Hi All,
I just read a fantastic book this week called The Time Travellers Wife. I mention it because it is pure escapism from start to finish and I couldn't put it down.
I also got to thinking about how lucky we are here in the UK. I have a friend in Hong Kong and we got to know each other after we starting our children on an ABA programme there. When I came back to the UK, I started hassling the Local Authority fairly quickly to get on the bottom rung of the "SEN" ladder. Any parents who have been through the process know how frustrating and unsettling it can be for you and your children, letting complete strangers into your home from specialists, speech and language, occupational therapists, health visitors and advisory service, in the long slog to get a statement. However, and here is the thing, in East Asia there is no one, in the public sector who is able to help. Strapped for cash, the health service struggles and the word "Autistic" is not understood by many in the medical profession. As a parent, you are left in a sea of uncertainty and no one to turn to. There are private schools of course, but you are forced to watch your child fail the "introduction interview" and state schools are all in Mandarin or Cantonese - too much of a cultural stretch for our son.
So - even though my front door is like a revolving one at times, with this one and that one coming and going, I feel really supported at the moment - there is still a long way to go, but boy am I glad we are home!!
Regards
DIL
I just read a fantastic book this week called The Time Travellers Wife. I mention it because it is pure escapism from start to finish and I couldn't put it down.
I also got to thinking about how lucky we are here in the UK. I have a friend in Hong Kong and we got to know each other after we starting our children on an ABA programme there. When I came back to the UK, I started hassling the Local Authority fairly quickly to get on the bottom rung of the "SEN" ladder. Any parents who have been through the process know how frustrating and unsettling it can be for you and your children, letting complete strangers into your home from specialists, speech and language, occupational therapists, health visitors and advisory service, in the long slog to get a statement. However, and here is the thing, in East Asia there is no one, in the public sector who is able to help. Strapped for cash, the health service struggles and the word "Autistic" is not understood by many in the medical profession. As a parent, you are left in a sea of uncertainty and no one to turn to. There are private schools of course, but you are forced to watch your child fail the "introduction interview" and state schools are all in Mandarin or Cantonese - too much of a cultural stretch for our son.
So - even though my front door is like a revolving one at times, with this one and that one coming and going, I feel really supported at the moment - there is still a long way to go, but boy am I glad we are home!!
Regards
DIL
posted by Parent at
7:56 PM
3 Comments:
Hello. i am fully behind the Nas make school make sense campaign. I would just like to say that every thing that can be done to help children with autism in school is most welcome. My son suffers at the hand of un-trained teachers every day and this can only be a good thing. I my self write a blog on life as a father with an autistic son and a day to day dairy i can only say i wish you well in your blog and that it helps raise even more autism awareness regards from autism.blog.co.uk
By
Anonymous, at 10:55 AM
Please let us know your blogs URL
By
makeschoolmakesense, at 5:36 PM
I've just discovered you! I have to say I thank God that my daughter, son-in- law and their family, including my 6year old autistic grandson live in Britain. Educational provision for autistic children may be patchy and difficult to find in some parts of the country, but at least it exists!
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Anonymous, at 3:46 PM
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