The Secret Carer

Reporting on how SEN children and families are treated in UK. Mum of son with rare genetic epilepsy and severe learning disability. Writing for @TheYorksTimes

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

@unpaidcarerltd What an amazing young lady !! x

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

My son recently had to spend some time in A & E…the NHS feels like it’s at breaking point. https://t.co/9m6icmp7eg

[ICARS (Int. Coal. Against Restraint and Seclusion) @ICARSBanRandS]

We have had huge response from individuals wanting to sign along side the orgs, non-profits etc who have signed onto the OfCom complaint regarding restraints shown on BBC2’s “Don’t Exclude Me”. In response we now have a sign up link for individuals. https://t.co/ToJ5MGVbqN

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

@Wincrotty1 @EdmJbg @mrsJBC01 @MorrisonBeth @ICARSBanRandS @shakespeare_d @TaniaLT @Gill_espie_B My learning disabled son wasn’t viewed as a reliable witness, despite correctly identifying the object which hurt him (the coat hook) and naming the person involved.

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

Why wouldn’t a special school seek specialist advice before restraining a child with complex medical needs? They put my son in grave danger and here’s how…
@MorrisonBeth @ICARSBanRandS @shakespeare_d @TaniaLT @Gill_espie_B @EdmJbg https://t.co/Xhk0sCvrJQ

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

@EdmJbg @mrsJBC01 @MorrisonBeth @Wincrotty1 @ICARSBanRandS @shakespeare_d @TaniaLT @Gill_espie_B Because we have no choice? Although in my son’s case we were misled right up to the last few weeks when the Head told us “he is happy and in the right place here”. A week later she did everything she could to get my son out, saying he would never return to her school again.

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

@Wincrotty1 @MorrisonBeth @ICARSBanRandS @shakespeare_d @TaniaLT @Gill_espie_B @EdmJbg I was sending my son 30 miles away when the one he is currently in is on our doorstep. At the old school, I had no other parents to talk to and his taxi escort wasn’t saying anything about what she was seeing until I questioned her after his exclusion.

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

@Wincrotty1 @MorrisonBeth @ICARSBanRandS @shakespeare_d @TaniaLT @Gill_espie_B @EdmJbg In addition, my son’s previous school was Ofsted ‘outstanding’ his current one which I regard as amazing is Ofsted ‘good’. Ofsted designations mean very little (generally) but if the leadership of the school has changed in the meantime(as happened here)these terms are redundant.

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

@nb87120292 @MorrisonBeth @ICARSBanRandS @shakespeare_d @TaniaLT @Gill_espie_B @EdmJbg Absolutely, although of those documents I am able to find/consult relating to Team Teach, there is nothing there about the dangers of using restraint on a child/young person with epilepsy.

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

@nb87120292 @MorrisonBeth @ICARSBanRandS @shakespeare_d @TaniaLT @Gill_espie_B @EdmJbg Oh my goodness, your poor child. May I ask more about your child’s dissociations and how they presented. If you are willing to share, would it be easier and more private if you PM me. Thankyou.

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

@nb87120292 @MorrisonBeth @ICARSBanRandS @shakespeare_d @TaniaLT @Gill_espie_B @EdmJbg Me too, the impression I was given by school was that they were competent, however they did have a lot of very young staff and my son is very complex in regard to his seizure presentation.

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

@nb87120292 @MorrisonBeth @ICARSBanRandS @shakespeare_d @TaniaLT @Gill_espie_B @EdmJbg You make a very good point and I certainly can’t rule that out. I have only just managed to get the services of CAMHS again two years later,but I suspect they will need the services of a more specialist professional in this case. Hope your child is also receiving support.

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

If you have a learning disabled child with epilepsy in a school where restraint and seclusion takes place they are in grave danger…here’s why?
⁦@Dr_Rhys⁩ ⁦@epilepsyaction⁩ ⁦@NYSCP1⁩ ⁦@TENofficial⁩ #epilepsy ⁦@epilepsysociety⁩ https://t.co/Xhk0sCvrJQ

[ICARS (Int. Coal. Against Restraint and Seclusion) @ICARSBanRandS]

The lived experience of children and families across the UK will be released in the ICARS Report in 2022. If you would like your families lived experience included with the 600+ families already in the report you still have time 👉 https://t.co/2EN47liYcr

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

Thankyou, I totally agree particularly when those who train staff in physical intervention refer to our children as ‘service users’- completely depersonalising them. A note to Team Teach-children don’t ‘use’ your service-you inflict it on them. More of this in Part 4b tomorrow…

[Deirdre #HarrysLaw💛 @shakespeare_d]

@TheSecretCarer @MorrisonBeth @ICARSBanRandS @TaniaLT @Gill_espie_B @EdmJbg Isn’t it a sad reflection of how society views this as acceptable, to think people switch of any compassion or empathy & that it has somehow become normalised to use restraint to “meet the needs” of disabled children exhibiting distress. Brilliant article thanks for sharing ❤️

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

Restraint and seclusion in schools - ‘any and all physical interventions may result in injury’ Bleetman. So why do it? ⁦@MorrisonBeth⁩ ⁦@ICARSBanRandS⁩ ⁦@shakespeare_d⁩ ⁦@TaniaLT⁩ ⁦@Gill_espie_B⁩ ⁦@EdmJbg⁩ https://t.co/NZewMG87jN

[ICARS (Int. Coal. Against Restraint and Seclusion) @ICARSBanRandS]

Below is the response to our stage 1b complaint re BBC2's 'Don't Exclude Me and our escalation of the complaint, sent today whilst remembering/ honoring Max Benson's life who was killed by staff using restraint in school 11/28/18 #ShineOnMax #AgainstRestraint #CancelDontExcludeMe

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

It’s interesting that this only receives National coverage when there is CCTV evidence of it and then Ofsted have a duty to get involved. Usually when parents try and report this type of abuse to Ofsted they tell us to go away. https://t.co/INayFIvIxM

[ICARS (Int. Coal. Against Restraint and Seclusion) @ICARSBanRandS]

ICARS have sent a complaint to the BBC regarding the the BBC2 Documentary "Don't Exclude Me" broadcast on October 7th 2021 @ 9pm. We stand with other members of the community who have lodge their own complaints. View in the images posted below. #Dontexcludeme #Againstrestraint

[The Secret Carer @TheSecretCarer]

To not seek specialist advice before using restrictive interventions on a child with a learning disability and severe neurodevelopmental epilepsy is, in my opinion, negligent. @MorrisonBeth @shakespeare_d @ICARSBanRandS @TaniaLT ⁦@SendCrisis⁩ https://t.co/fdavkQ69Ls