Neurodiversity at school
“Thank you so much, I really don’t think I would have been able to tackle any of this without you and would have given up on trying to get a diagnosis.”
“Thank you for all that you have done. We are now getting somewhere!”
Jack, aged 9, had a diagnosis of dyspraxia and dyslexia. Recently, he had become terribly anxious when anything happened that he wasn’t expecting, so anxious that it made him physically sick. His behaviour was affecting the whole family.
His mum Sarah had taken him to their GP who suggested he needed an assessment for autism spectrum condition (ASC). However, no referral had been made. Sarah also spoke to the SENCo at school who was keeping a close watch on him, but no additional support had been put in place.
Jack was struggling to keep up at school and was masking his symptoms to fit in with his peers. This resulted in hyper-activity when he returned home. Sarah was feeling at a loss. She was worried that if he didn’t get the right support now, he wouldn’t cope with the transition to secondary school.
Sarah contacted Grace Consulting. During her initial telephone consultation with Emily, her Special Needs Adviser, she offloaded her concerns. This was the first time she felt that someone was really listening to her. Sarah explained that Jack had sleep anxiety and separation anxiety from her. No-one else would do. The family was exhausted. Emily listened carefully and reassuringly, unpicking the issues and providing advice on the steps required to move forwards.
Following the consultation Emily emailed Sarah a recap of the advice given and the steps required along with details of how she could help further. Sarah decided that this help was needed as soon as possible.
Emily got to work and drilled into each of the areas identified, providing further advice, direct action, bespoke research and communication. The areas included assessment options and pathways, help and advice about coping strategies for Sarah, how best to address the situation at school to achieve desired outcomes and how to calm sleep anxiety.
Sarah was incredibly grateful. She felt reassured and empowered. Jack was referred for an assessment and Sarah had her first meeting at the school regarding additional support. She began gently introducing sleep strategies and applied for DLA. Matters were becoming more manageable.
Sarah knew that there was still a long path ahead but was relieved the service had given her so much support. She felt much more confident in managing behaviours at home and empowered to take the necessary steps towards getting Jack formally assessed.