What can you tell me about Autism?

i don't know, i'm _reading_ it as either a joke or the sort of small talk people make at the beginning of a conversation. i can relate since my infodumping and monologuing has been super bad lately, that's kind of what i started my blog to try to keep under control but it's only going so far.

that's absurd!"

Is it like when you know that something isn't just wrong, or maybe not even wrong by some measures, but implies a category error. And you know that explaining this in a real way is going to come across awkwardly, so, not to be too much of a pedantic ass or bend their ears off, and, crucially, keeping within the bounds of the inital assertion in order to meet them half way, you settle on boiling it down to.. you know they had a couple of albums that were moderately large hits as well as the single you're probably thinking of. All of which empathic consideration innevitably really pays off with expressions interest and gratitude from the recipient / victim.

(I'd probably try and duck the whole thing tbh, but I'm not particularly a Devo-tee, if that's the right term. I'm sure given the right trigger I'd be off.)

I wonder which snitch neighbour will be the first to report me for filling the pool in the garden today. It might be the drug dealer next door, who I kid not phoned the cops on me once when Alex was having a severe meltdown (what kind of a bootlicking dealer tries to get an autist in trouble with the law ffs!). Alex is a priority services customer, suckers - snitch away! Anyway some frequent hydrotherapy throughout this summer break from college has been very important in keeping him on an even keel and maintaining good mental health and isn't a frivolous use of water during a hosepipe ban. Although I wouldn't bother explaining this to people who are bigoted to the core.

I've just had a communication from post 16 transport via a passenger assistant that from now on if the students aren't ready to leave the college within 10 minutes then the taxi can leave without them. It's easy to understand why with a group of mostly autistic young adults engaging in different activities and lessons that it can be difficult to get them to disengage in a timely fashion and be ready on time every day.

I told the passenger assistant that this shit is rank disablism and her line manager who is coming out with this shit ought to be sacked. It's also dangerous because many of them have other health conditions and loads of them have epilepsy. One of his 20 yr old classmates died in his sleep during half-term. The college is out in the sticks and not all parents/carers have cars nor the means to pay £50+ for a return journey taxi to pick them up because transport have decided that they are fucking amazon packages rather than human beings with complex needs. I'm fucking livid rn!

I feel like there should be a neurodiversity thread but buggered if I can find one. This might be a bit niche, I'm not sure, but this podcast chat with Robert Chapman is good and his book sounds excellent: https://www.everand.com/podcast/702055056/The-Rise-of-Anti-Capitalist-Neurodiversity-Robert-Chapman-s-Empire-of-Normality

By 'niche' I think I actually mean 'theorising about neurodiversity' when there are people battling with real-life consequences of a fucked system that does little to aid them or their dependents. I feel like I'm stating my credentials, but ftr I have a neurodiverse kid (and then some) and teach plenty of neurodiverse kids.

Chinaski, apologies if I have over-shared on this but. I am looking after a child with a severe intellectual disability.

Neurotypical / non-neurotypical is, for us, a severe understatement. He's not someone with some sensory issues, or a learning disability that can be accommodated for with extra test time or being allowed to use a calculator, but will otherwise be okay.

My son cannot talk, will not go to college, will likely never have a job or date or get married. I know I have already posted about this and it's probably tiresome, but it is where we are.

In the meantime I have nothing but good wishes for all others.

I am aware Puffin, as I am with Calzino, that's why I'm cautious about sharing stuff and sounding insensitive. I can only offer compassion for what you both carry with this.

Fwiw, my son is coming up 18. 'Neurodiversity' doesn't do justice in naming his struggles, even if that's how he's labelled. At present, he's being treated for severe OCD and has been out of education since he was 15. There have been periods in the last four years where he hasn't been able to leave his room (these periods have been up to a month at a time; people take 'can't leave his room' to be a metaphor. It isn't.) He has various ASD traits but has never been formally tested.

(It goes without saying but: he is fucking awesome.)

Best to you Chinaski

I have just received confirmation that my 22 yr old is getting another year of ehcp funding for college. That's a huge pressure release because it is essentially my only support network and the possibility of not having anything in place was hanging over me every day. And there is a longer term plan for a slow transition to his next destination, a daycare place that is apparently very good. It's got a good rep and transport is included and also it is the only place in the district with a challenging behaviour unit. His 1to1 tutor visited the place and said it is perfect for him. I did need some good news for once.

:)

Good to hear

he was causing mayhem a few months ago, he kept running into the horse enclosure to play with them. I was told because of the volume of safeguarding emergencies he was causing that it was unlikely he would be on the return list. I told them he was doing them a favour by stress-testing their safety protocols and exposing the weaknesses! Anyway, they got loads of extra funding for occupational therapists, psychologists etc to assist them with him. And since that lowpoint he has been a model student for months now and made remarkable progress. And now they actually want him back. Tbf on the staff, they always wanted him back it was the management calling the shots.

Fantastic news calz. Can EHCPs still run until age 25?

I think on paper they can run until 25 or is it 24? but in practise most LA's wont fund them that long because they argue that there comes a point where there is no further educational progress. It's bollox of course. Tutors I talk to say the average funding for 19+ students usually runs in 2/3 year blocks until ehcp is withdrawn. It is hard for them to make this case for Alex because there is too much evidence of progress witnessed by multiple professionals, but even that wouldn't guarantee the funding. It seems a bit arbitrary really. There is an appeals process if you don't agree with their decision, but you never find out until May/June when the term is nearly over. So I guess most parents/carers will be faced with decision of going into what is probably a lengthy appeals process that could stretch into the next college term without resolution or just give up on FE and look for social care options.

Arbitrary is exactly what it is

Glad to hear, calzino

That's great to hear, calzino.

We're in the process of getting one for our boy. He's 18 but has missed so much education; the council were bemused that his school/college hadn't sorted it out before.

it was made mercifully decision-free for me because there was no college within the council district that met his needs and the nearest one that did was exactly the one I wanted him to go to. In fact I'd previously lost an education tribunal appeal to get him into the school there, so was ultra-focussed on it. It was an amazing college but then covid happened, which fucked everything up!