Herefordshire Parent Partnership Service

Transcription

1 Herefrdshire Parent Partnership Service APPROACHES TO ADHD Appraches t the management f ADHD Once yur child s ADHD has been identified/diagnsed, a prgramme will be needed that allws the best cntrl f his/her cnditin and helps him/her t participate mre fully in all areas f family life, as well as in schl, scial and leisure activities. This leaflet prvides a descriptin f the varius appraches that are available fr wrking with children with ADHD. N particular apprach is recmmended because there are differing prfessinal views and varying parental preferences abut the best way t manage ADHD. Sme f the fllwing appraches have been used fr many years whilst thers signify mre recent develpments. Yu shuld als bear in mind that the success f sme alternative appraches may nt yet be scientifically prven. As a parent, yu will knw yur child best and it is imprtant that yu discuss yur child and his r her needs with all f the prfessinals invlved. It is helpful if everyne invlved has an understanding f yur child s needs and uses a cnsistent apprach twards meeting them. The usual apprach that prfessinals will use will be a cmbinatin f behaviur management and medicatin. Parents may als use diet r alternative therapies/appraches. Creating psitive change in yur child s behaviur Tp tips fr creating psitive changes in the behaviur f a child with ADHD These guidelines are reprduced via Wlverhamptn ADHD family supprt grup: Set simple attainable targets Have cnsistent rules, and fllw up cnsequences Reinfrce gd behaviur Identify prblem behaviurs and act upn them immediately Encurage and praise t raise self esteem and cnfidence Cmmunicate effectively: use language apprpriate t child s age/level f understanding Avid cnfrntatin Recgnised the child s abilities and difficulties Ignre petty behaviurs Supprt scial skills: teach apprpriate skills/acceptable scial cdes Cnstant rutine and structure Ensure a fresh start nce an incident has been dealt with Yur child s educatin If yu are a parent f a child wh has recently been diagnsed as having ADHD yu may be thinking abut hw pre-schl r schl will meet yur child s needs. 1

2 All parents want the best educatin fr their child. If yur child has a diagnsis f ADHD, it can be very difficult t knw what is best and where and hw yur child shuld be educated. Children with ADHD have a wide range f educatinal needs. They are all individuals and require a level f supprt apprpriate t their wn needs. The right educatinal setting will ften depend n yur child s abilities and needs. Children with ADHD may require an adapted envirnment, with teaching tailred t their individual learning styles. Mst children with ADHD are best placed in a mainstream schl and may nt require a Statement f Special Educatinal Needs t receive the supprt they need in schl. Others with additinal learning difficulties may require a statement f SEN and perhaps a placement in specialist prvisin (ie a special schl r a specialist behaviural unit within a schl). Whichever schl is chsen, pupils with ADHD are entitled t receive a full curriculum and, as a child s skills develp ver time, the schl placement may als need t change accrdingly. All the peple wh knw yur child in schl need t keep wrking tgether t make sure yur child s needs cntinue t be met apprpriately. Gd practice in educating a pupil with ADHD Whilst it may appear that sme f the educatinal difficulties experienced by peple with ADHD are shared with thse wh have ther frms f special need r disability, there are distinctive patterns f difficulty within ADHD. These require understanding n the part f educatin staff, and develpment f apprpriate teaching techniques and adaptatin f the classrm envirnment. Assessment f an individual child s needs is an imprtant pre-requisite f a suitable plan r supprt. Mst lcal authrities have specialist staff wh prvide educatinal assessment, advice and supprt t schls. A pupil with ADHD shuld be fully included int mainstream schl systems adapted, as necessary, thrugh individualised prgrammes and supprt staff. All thse wrking with the child shuld be made aware f his needs and the schl s apprach t supprting them. It shuld be brne in mind that ancillary staff, such as lunchtime supervisrs and admin staff, are an imprtant part f whle-schl appraches. Supprtive classrm management fr children with ADHD As yur child ges thrugh the schl years he/she will encunter different members f staff wh will each develp their wn apprach t yur child s educatin. Yur child s teacher shuld have sme knwledge f ADHD and accept the cnditin as a learning difference be calm and psitive but cnsistent abut the rules run an rganised classrm with predictable rutines match teaching strategies and materials t the child s learning style and level f ability knw hw t manage yur child s trigger pints and their frustratin when it begins t peak make gd eye cntact with the child and speak in clear cncise sentences 2

3 prvide immediate and cnsistent feedback regarding behaviur, including persnal cues t remind a child when ff-task behaviur is happening recgnise the imprtance f invlving parents in their child s educatin and respnd apprpriately t the frustratins they ften experience What t lk fr in a classrm envirnment A gd envirnment fr a child with ADHD may have: pupils with ADHD seated within the nrmal seating pattern but near t the teacher s desk pupils with ADHD seated near the frnt with their back t ther children t minimise distractins children wh are gd rle mdels sitting arund the child with ADHD (peer tutring and c-perative learning shuld be encuraged) the child with ADHD sitting away frm distracting stimuli in the classrm, such as heaters, drs r windws, busy areas r air cnditining disruptins, changes in schedule and physical lcatin minimised a quiet, lw-distractin area available fr all children Getting invlved with schl It s abut relatinships! A schl year can g well when yur teacher has built a gd relatinship with and understands yur child. If in a subsequent year yur child is less settled, it may be a warning sign that the teacher appears t have a less understanding attitude twards yur child s difficulties/differences. Get t knw yur child s teacher. Share with them yur expertise remember yu knw yur child far better than they d. Yu may like t arrange t meet yur child s new teacher, either at the end f the Summer term with their existing teacher r at the beginning f the new term. This will give yu the pprtunity t share yur expertise f yur child t help the teacher give yur child a gd start. Teachers can use this infrmatin t help them plan supprt fr yur child s learning differences. Fr example, it is useful fr them t knw that: they are ften nt gd in large grups, like large classes they find wrking in clse prximity t thers a struggle getting changed fr games and PE may cause difficulties. Yur child may be gd at sprt but find the team element difficult Psitive steps yu can take Wrking with schl, yu shuld be aware f a structured plan. This plan will shw hw full curriculum access and whle-day attendance at schl will be achieved. These are examples f sme f the questins yu may want t ask: 3

4 What arrangements are in place s that, if necessary, a shrt term internal seclusin can be used t defuse a situatin? Yur child may need t be remved frm class t a designated area within schl with the apprpriate supprt and supervisin, thereby aviding the need fr a frmal exclusin Are staff aware that smetimes yur child may need t remve himself frm a situatin t cl ff, t a designated area r persn? Hw can yur child wrk twards managing his behaviur eg by use f time ut cards? When there is restricted curriculum access what are the timescales invlved? Hw and when will yur child be able t access a full curriculum? Hw culd individual r small grup wrk be used t assist yur child? Where and when is individual supprt fr learning and/r behaviur being given? (It may nt always be apprpriate fr yur child t attend the Learning Supprt resurce fr this purpse) Where is yur child n the SEN Cde f Practice? (Their needs shuld have been identified and met thrugh actins at schl/schl actin plus, r if apprpriate, thrugh a Statement f Special Educatinal Needs) If apprpriate, des yur child have an IEP (Individual Educatin Plan)? If s, yu shuld be invlved with schl in writing yur child s IEP, jintly setting targets and ensuring that yu understand hw yu can supprt yur child s learning at hme If yur child des nt have an IEP, wuld it be mre apprpriate fr him t have a Pastral Supprt Plan (PSP) t help him t manage his behaviur? This plan shuld be discussed with yu as yu will knw what mtivates yur child and which strategies yur child respnds t. Any changes t the child s entitlement f 25 hurs f educatin per week shuld be cvered by a PSP which is reviewed regularly by all parties Instead f restricting access t subjects as a way f managing his behaviur, can psitive steps be taken such as dubling up n lessns that yur child finds enjyable/rewarding? Is yur child being excluded frm break and lunchtimes, hw will he have the pprtunity fr scial learning? Abut exclusin frm schl In sme circumstances yur child may receive a frmal exclusin frm schl. There are tw frms f frmal exclusin frm schl: Fixed perid exclusin time limited perids when yur child is nt allwed int schl fllwing serius breaches f the schl s behaviur plicy Permanent exclusin when the Head Teacher takes a decisin t exclude yur child frm the schl permanently. Permanent exclusin 4

5 can als ccur if yur child accrues 45 days f fixed perid exclusin in ne schl year. When a pupils accumulates 45 days fixed term exclusin in an academic year it des nt necessarily lead t Permanent Exclusin - it simply means that the schl can n lnger use fixed term exclusin Yur child may be sent hme t cl ff eg at lunchtimes. This is an illegal exclusin regardless f whether r nt it is dne with the agreement f the parent. Frmal exclusin is the nly legal methd f remval f a child frm a schl site. Pupils whse behaviur at lunchtime is disruptive may be excluded frm schl fr the duratin f the lunchtime perid. Lunchtime exclusin is a fixed perid exclusin it is equivalent t ne half f a schl day and shuld be treated as such. Parents have the same right t be given infrmatin and t make representatins. A lunchtime exclusin fr an indefinite perid, like any ther indefinite exclusin wuld nt be lawful. Arrangements shuld be made fr pupils wh are entitled t free schl meals t receive their entitlement, which may mean fr example, a packed lunch. Lunchtime exclusins shuld nt be used fr prlnged perids and ther strategies fr dealing with the prblem shuld be wrked ut. Any exclusin frm schl is a serius matter and schls are strngly advised t fllw gvernment guidelines. In brief these are: Only the Head Teacher r teacher in charge f a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) has the authrity t exclude a pupil The decisin t exclude yur pupil shuld nly be taken in respnse t serius breaches f the schl s behaviur plicy and if allwing yur child t remain in schl wuld seriusly harm the educatin and welfare f himself r thers In exceptinal circumstances the Head Teacher can exclude fr a serius ne ff ffence eg supplying illegal drugs r carrying an ffensive weapn. Exclusin shuld nt be used fr: Failure t d hmewrk Pr academic perfrmance Truancy Lateness Pregnancy Breaches f schl rules including jewellery and hairstyles A punishment fr their parents behaviur eg failure r refusal t attend meetings The Head Teacher shuld ensure that an apprpriate investigatin has been carried ut and the pupil has been allwed t give his versin befre a decisin is made t exclude the pupil permanently. Any witness statements shuld be dated and annymised. If a permanent exclusin happens, it is an acknwledgement by the schl that it has exhausted all ther available strategies and is using exclusin nly as a last resrt. 5

6 Other than in the mst exceptinal circumstances, schls shuld avid permanently excluding pupils with statements. Fr a pupil with a statement, the schl shuld liaise with their LA abut initiating an interim review f the pupil s statement. What will happen if yur child is frmally excluded frm schl? If yur child is excluded frm schl the Head Teacher shuld, whenever pssible, infrm yu immediately by telephne. This shuld be fllwed within ne schl day by a letter explaining the fllwing: The type f exclusin, whether it is a fixed term exclusin r a permanent exclusin The reasn fr the exclusin, the date it takes effect and any relevant previus histry, eg previus warnings r fixed term exclusins In the case f a fixed perid exclusin, the precise number f days the exclusin is and fr the date/time the pupil shuld return t schl The parents right t make representatins t the gverning bdy and the arrangements fr this The parents right t see their child s schl recrd upn receipt f a written request The arrangements fr enabling the child t cntinue his educatin The name and telephne number f a LA fficer wh can prvide advice What can yu d if yur child is frmally excluded frm schl Supprting yur child thrugh a fixed perid r permanent exclusin can be challenging and demanding emtinally. Yu may feel that yu wuld like supprt in understanding the prcess and planning ahead fr yur child s future educatin. In additin t the infrmatin prvided natinally by ACE, many Parent Partnership services prvide supprt fr parents in this situatin. This may include: Explaining what yu can expect t happen Yur child s rights Preparing appeals Accmpanying yu t meetings Fr mre infrmatin r supprt Herefrdshire Parent Partnership n r [email protected] Sm/inf/aug11 6