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Hey, has anyone here had children or have children that have had to attend a specialist school because of their OCD? My son has Aspergers but has always managed well in mainstream school until he developed severe OCD and it got to the point where he couldn’t cope in school resulting in huge absences and awful mental health issues. I’m currently in the process of trying to get him a 1:1 assistant for mainstream secondary school however on further consideration both my self and his dad feel he’d be best placed in a specialist school setting. Wondering what others experiences of this are?xx

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Thank u carol, he is going into year 8 and is 11.5yrs old, I’m not from England but I think our EHCP would be a statement of special educational needs? If so, we are in the process and I should have his statement in the next couple of weeks.xx

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Im not sure where you are, but my daughter says the EHCP gives you the power to request what you consider best for your child, in your case,  a 'specialist setting'.  The only problem is if the school says they can meet his needs.  I hope this helps a bit, although the system doesn't seem to be quite the same.

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Yes Carol, I will have the right to state that I’d like him in a specialist school but wether or not a place in a suitable school is available is another thing, we have no government atm and it’s affecting all our services badly especially special education ? I’m anticipating having to send him to mainstream with an assistant at first, my issue is however that I’m just really relying on an assistant to support him through the days many challenges but apart from that there’s not a lot they can do in my opinion, I’m thinking a specialist setting because the whole environment would be less stressful and seeing as stress exacerbates his OCD i am hoping he may have less of it in such a school. I’m so worried because he’s been attending a summer scheme for children on the spectrum, it was only 4 days and I had to go and collect him from 2 trips as his ocd was out of control, the first trip he couldn’t access anywhere to wash his hands (ritual) and went into full blown anxiety attack, the 2nd one he was beside himself because he felt contaminated and immediately got into the shower when I got him home, the showering is a new symptom now, this scheme was amazing, there were 7 adults specialised in autism to 8 children, so an excellent support network but still he couldn’t cope, I’ve no idea how he’ll cope in September in a new mainstream setting ?  thank u for taking the time to chat to ur daughter for me :) xx

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Its interesting that so many parents don't want their children to go into specialist schools and yet when they visit their opinion changes.  My daughter says its simple things like, plain white walls, which to us look boring, but to the children, its calm.  I so hope you find the right help for your son, just knowing he is  being looked after at school can at least  give you some peace of mind.

The summer scheme sounds very good, I suppose the only way you can look at it is that he did manage 2 days?  So hard to follow when rituals change isn't it, one disappears and another pops up!!!

My daughter's university  decided to base the master's degree on this occasion around mental health in children.  Of course she jumped at the chance to do this, as she knows how important it is to have the expertise to help the children who need it.

Do let us know how you get on. xx

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