Great Ormond Street and Home Ed

[LovingHomeEd]

I just thought I would post this; it's only a little thing but, like so many others, I dread any kind of 'official' appointment as I wait for the HE questions to start coming thick and fast. However, we've had a couple of appointments at Great Ormond Street recently and they've been very positive and open to us home educating; we've not had any of my son's problems blamed on the fact he isn't going to school which is very refreshing and the paediatrician said yesterday she could see how much my son would struggle in a group setting and that she took her hat off to me for putting everything in place at home and doing a good job, which was nice to hear. It's not an 'official' endorsement, obviously, but it was nice to have our situation recognised for what it is and not to have someone immediately assuming we're doing it wrong in some way

 

[If You Dont Eat Your Meat]

Thanks for posting this and well done to you, it certainly is rewarding to have our way of doing things noticed and remarked upon in a positive manner. The tide may well be turning, people might just be starting to understand what exactly it is we do in home education and why it is the best way to tailor an education to suit the child. Having had some similar experiences recently, where support for home education has been shown from those in an official capacity, I feel that I might as well post mine too :bounce:

We have the educational officer from the council supporting our view that home education would be the best option for a young child who was recently brought into our family via kinship care. The child is a 'looked after' child and we were worried that the official view would be to try and push us along the school route. Fortunately in this case the social work and educational officer support our view that the child's best interests are right here at home with us, where we can provide a more child centered approach to her education and development. We home educate our 'own' children so when bringing another into the family it is only right that she have the opportunity to be part of what we do.

We are chuffed to see home education being recognised by officials as the best environment to meet a 'looked after' child's complex needs and are glad that we are in a position to provide the setting.

Another positive encounter similar to yours happened to us, funnily enough up at the hospital, where a doctor remarked the same thing as to you and 'took her hat off' to us for doing what we do. Although not an official endorsement either it was great to have a doctor taking her hat off to us for the mere fact that we love our children and are actively trying to achieve the best outcomes for them. :bounce:

Maybe the tide is turning?

 

[Admin]

Nice to read some good news stories. Thanks for sharing.

 

[LovingHomeEd]

Thanks for posting this and well done to you, it certainly is rewarding to have our way of doing things noticed and remarked upon in a positive manner. The tide may well be turning, people might just be starting to understand what exactly it is we do in home education and why it is the best way to tailor an education to suit the child. Having had some similar experiences recently, where support for home education has been shown from those in an official capacity, I feel that I might as well post mine too :bounce:

We have the educational officer from the council supporting our view that home education would be the best option for a young child who was recently brought into our family via kinship care. The child is a 'looked after' child and we were worried that the official view would be to try and push us along the school route. Fortunately in this case the social work and educational officer support our view that the child's best interests are right here at home with us, where we can provide a more child centered approach to her education and development. We home educate our 'own' children so when bringing another into the family it is only right that she have the opportunity to be part of what we do.

We are chuffed to see home education being recognised by officials as the best environment to meet a 'looked after' child's complex needs and are glad that we are in a position to provide the setting.

Another positive encounter similar to yours happened to us, funnily enough up at the hospital, where a doctor remarked the same thing as to you and 'took her hat off' to us for doing what we do. Although not an official endorsement either it was great to have a doctor taking her hat off to us for the mere fact that we love our children and are actively trying to achieve the best outcomes for them. :bounce:

Maybe the tide is turning?

Gosh wouldn't that be good if people are starting to see the benefits of it? People focusing on children rather than ticking boxes on forms and putting them in situations that make it easier to complete the paperwork. What a nice thought! I just found it nice to be able to have a sensible conversation about our home life and what we do and not to feel that I'm being questioned about some hidden atrocity or feeling like I have to keep justifying every decision I make. Great to hear that similar good things are happening for you

 

[LovingHomeEd]

Interesting chat with the docs at GOSH this week, when we went up for our last appointment. Despite being pro home ed they were very keen to get me to agree to starting an EHCP with a view to getting him in school and referring him to CAMHS. We've been turned down by CAMHS very recently as my son doesn't meet their criteria yet despite this they wanted to refer him again anyway. Keen on school, I asked them if they felt he had any educational needs that I wasn't meeting and they said no, they felt he was doing well (maths is weaker than his cognitive ability but he has no understanding of concepts which makes anything other than counting and recognising numbers quite difficult to manage) and his reading level is well ahead of his cognitive ability. Asked the reason then for sending to school and they said Speech Therapy and OT/Physio would be part of statement and only accessed via school as no provision outside of it (Hampshire don't fund any kind of sensory related treatment or therapy any more). Pointed out that I could source those things privately, so even with (a) no educational need, (b) medical needs met and (c) home education working well, still keen for him to go to school? Pointed out the enormous problems we've had in the past, endless hassle with getting anyone to do anything, constantly having to chase, people not communicating with one another, what's 'supposed' to happen not being what actually happens, all of which they agreed with, yet still think school is a good idea. It's funny how the mind can insist something is right even when logically there appears to be no reason for it at all. They've not been at all heavy handed about it and accepted it wasn't going to be happening but I just found it funny that even when people are admitting there's no point they still advocate it.

Anyway - last interaction with the state for a while, he's been seeing a private physio for ages and I think the OT and speech therapist at the same clinic are open to seeing him (thank goodness for DLA or we'd never be able to afford it) so apart from some standard tests now which are just done at the local surgery I can go back to living in my bubble

 

[Mayfly]

It's funny how the mind can insist something is right even when logically there appears to be no reason for it at all. They've not been at all heavy handed about it and accepted it wasn't going to be happening but I just found it funny that even when people are admitting there's no point they still advocate it.

I suppose that's becuase we've become a much more rule based society and that ranks before commonsense. Very clever people like medical professionals are still happy with commonsense but will still have to nod in the direction of the system first.

I recall Jeremy Clarkson telling an anecdote about how an American policeman moved him from parking in an empty street. Clarkson complained to the cop that, as the street was empty, it was just a matter of commonsense that he could park there temporarily.

He was told:

"Sir, In America we just have rules so there is no need for commonsence!"

We are going down that road, I fear.

 

[LovingHomeEd]

I suppose that's becuase we've become a much more rule based society and that ranks before commonsense. Very clever people like medical professionals are still happy with commonsense but will still have to nod in the direction of the system first.

I recall Jeremy Clarkson telling an anecdote about how an American policeman moved him from parking in an empty street. Clarkson complained to the cop that, as the street was empty, it was just a matter of commonsense that he could park there temporarily.

He was told:

"Sir, In America we just have rules so there is no need for commonsence!"

We are going down that road, I fear.

Yes I think you're right, I hold my hand up to doing some pointless things just because everyone else did them for quite a number of years before having my son, funny how having kids can change your outlook! I'm trying to take the approach now that the more people I can talk to about how good home ed can be the more it might filter through to other situations. I do wonder if the ludicrousness of the situation sometimes is what makes some public sector employees so defensive; I wonder if it makes them feel unsettled when they realise there is actually no point to what they are suggesting? I know I get defensive when I feel anxious so maybe it's something to do with that? Ironically I got a message from someone this morning who is trying to place her autistic son in a special school who has been told that there isn't a single place in the entire county for him and another friend of mine in Devon has been desperately trying to get a school sorted for her autistic son (who desperately wants to go) but they all keep refusing him or expelling him and again, there's no special needs provision so you have the odd situation of a very keen pupil who can't access the system - that so many are keen to advocate :tape: