Surviving the Special Educational Needs System: How to be a ‘Velvet Bulldozer'

Some children's 'difficulties' do not present in an obvious way, which makes diagnosis problematic, and access to help unforthcoming. This was the experience of Sandy Row, whose own children's special educational needs (SEN) were undetected for more than ten years. Sandy's family endured misdiagnoses and unsatisfactory explanations for their children's experience of bullying and struggling in mainstream school. Dealing with very practical issues such as: getting a Statement of Special Educational Needs for you child - and how to challenge it if it is wrong, Sandy uses her family's experience as the basis for this indispensable guidebook which will empower other parents to demand help for their own children. She challenges some established literature on SEN she believes is too theoretical and impenetrable, and instead she provides an effective resource for those seeking accessible answers about their right to help and service provision.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments. Introduction: Why you need to read this book. 1. Starting out: Don't be daunted. 2. So how do you know when your child has special educational needs? 3. So what does a Statement of Special Educational Needs look like? 4. The Final Statement. 5. So how do you go about getting a Statement? 6. The tribunal, SENDIST and appealing. 7. Preparing for the second tribunal. 8. Alice's story. 9. Alex's story. 10. Richard's story. 11. More of Richard's story. 12. Tribunal II: The Mummy's Revenge! 13. Jack's story. 14. Frequently asked questions. 15. A bit about us. 16. Special needs children who are officially adults. 17. And in conclusion. Appendix: Useful contacts and other information. References. Index.

About the Author :
Sandy Row lives with her husband and four adopted children, three of whom are autistic, and one of whom is dyslexic. They have placed their children in special needs colleges and schools and finally feel hopeful about their futures, following years of fighting for accurate diagnoses and accessing funding for help and placements.

Review :
"'Our children were supposed to be "included" in mainstream but in reality were "excluded" until they went into special needs placements where they were accepted and valued, exactly as they were, even though that was different to the "norm". They are polite, kind, decent people - but people who have difficulties.' - Sandy Row" 'Now, Sandy has written a book to help other parents struggling with the complexities of the special needs system. Sandy tells her own family's story: the mistakes they made, the misinformation they received and the battles they fought and includes a whole chapter of useful contacts and addresses she has built over the years.' -The Organiser