Where were all the special needs students when we were at school?

Wow antonia so smacking is not violence, for an ex teacher Im surprised to hear you say this
I m 76 I was NEVER smacked as I child I was never hit at school ( taught by both nuns and secular teachers) it didn’t happen I ve never smacked my children and none of my grandkids have ever been smacked
Smacking is a complete control and anger measure... if you are not able to parent or teach without resorting to violence you are showing your own lack of control
My closest friend is 84 and was a teacher and also a mother of 4 boys she never had to resort to violence in class or home
It’s an excuse for your own inabilities

I see the OP was strongly reprimanded for asking whether parenting might be responsible for any kind of childhood behavioural problem. I would say this perfectly possible, where alcohol or drugs are concerned, or where the parents are abusive, neglectful or mentally unfit. These things will affect a child's behaviour and who knows what will happen if the balance of their mind is disturbed.
The outrage at the OP asking whether parents might be responsible was uncalled for. In some cases parents may have caused their child to suffer mental problems of some kind.

I taught at the RNIB college in 1985. An absolutely lovely 18 year old girl, who had gradually lost her sight due to an inherited condition, had been stuck in her house from the age of fifteen because she lost her sight completely. Her sister had lost her sight earlier, at thirteen, and was also stuck at home. Her 'county' didn't make any provision for visually impaired students. She came to us and learnt to audiotype, use a speaking computer (awful voice called Frank), and she did her work experience in a bank. She gained confidence and started acting classes, my husband and I went to see her on stage in 'Under Milkwood'. I loved that job as the training changed people's lives, unfortunately the college moved up to Loughborough.

Many conditions we recognise now were not recognised then. In my 40s I was diagnosed as dyxpraxic, the same time as DS was dignosed. As a child I was just seen as clumsy, careless and lazy in the sense that my writing and needlework were poor because I was seen as unwilling to concentrate and really make an effort to do things neatly and tidly. I am also 90% sure I have ADHD, although, as yet, no formal diagnosis.

As a child I was 'Fidgety Phil who can't sit still'. the child who never paid attention because her mind was elsewhere, who was always talking, either unable to concentrate or hyper concentrating. constantly in trouble for speaking out of turn.

ADHD was first identified as such in the early 20th century, but not well known until the 1980s but dyspraxia was not identified as a specific problem until the 1980s.

I am sure there were many other children like me, from the number of adults I have met exhibiting similar behaviours.

I was attended a convent grammar school. There was a girl in my class with epilepsy, petit mal, and another girl who was deaf. In the year below there was a girl with learning disabilities. I believe her mother was close to the nuns. She was well behaved in classes and attended well and at times seemed to know a lot about odd little corners in the history and geography syllabus. Everybody accepted her and were kind to her.

The outrage at the OP asking whether parents might be responsible was uncalled for

was it Cheshunt? have you got a child, grandchild with a disability or additional need? or do you work with people with disabilities?

Have you faced everyday prejudice and discrimination because of that?

I have had an absolute gutful of professionals and people blaming parents of children with disabilities for their children's problems

Honestly, I wouldn’t expect more from the OP. I’ve read her posts elsewhere.

Is there really the need for such vitriol JaneJudge? The way I see it is that, as is so often the case in life, by asking questions we learn. Please teach us kindly.

The Infant school I attended as a 5 year old in 1946 in Hitchin is now a School museum based on its Victorian roots. Believe me there were plenty of 'difficult children' and some of the teachers followed the Victorian methods of caning/slipper or sending one into the corner for bad behaviour.
I think like some others on here that children either learned to sink or swim in this environment. Some came from the local council estate( where I also lived) where it was quite usual to see fumigation teams going in to clear fleas and bedbugs. Some of them survived to go on to get to University.
I was lucky to be an only child and we moved to a new estate and a brand new School. Also even there, there were probably 10% in our class who needed special help ( but never got it ).
Out of a class of 40 there were only 3 of us who passed the 11 plus to Grammar School.
I spent most of my first 3 years at school absolutely terrified of the tough teachers and even tougher kids. Goodness knows how some of my raggedy arsed peers coped.

Society today is enough to cause anyone to display ADHD !

I find myself on a very short fuse at times because of the rank stupidity of so-called professionals who think they know everything when dealing with children.

I find myself on a very short fuse at times because of the rank stupidity of so-called professionals who think they know everything when dealing with children

I am not sure of the point that you are making EllenVannin with regard to children with special needs?

In my primaries these children were barely taught much - not like now when each child has their own development and progression planned and assessed. In secondary there was an A stream which most children were in - 1A1, 1A2 etc, a B stream 1B1, 1B2 and 1C. If you were put there there was little hope of moving from it and sitting exams! This was comprehensive education!

EllanVannin

Society today is enough to cause anyone to display ADHD !

I find myself on a very short fuse at times because of the rank stupidity of so-called professionals who think they know everything when dealing with children.

In what way?

PS. I most certainly don't know everything about dealing with children, although a fair bit more than many people.

ElaineI

In my primaries these children were barely taught much - not like now when each child has their own development and progression planned and assessed. In secondary there was an A stream which most children were in - 1A1, 1A2 etc, a B stream 1B1, 1B2 and 1C. If you were put there there was little hope of moving from it and sitting exams! This was comprehensive education!

Which era are you talking about?

blossom14 You seem to be confusing children with special needs with those from dysfunctional backgrounds.

Chestnut

I see the OP was strongly reprimanded for asking whether parenting might be responsible for any kind of childhood behavioural problem. I would say this perfectly possible, where alcohol or drugs are concerned, or where the parents are abusive, neglectful or mentally unfit. These things will affect a child's behaviour and who knows what will happen if the balance of their mind is disturbed.
The outrage at the OP asking whether parents might be responsible was uncalled for. In some cases parents may have caused their child to suffer mental problems of some kind.

I've witnessed parents from so-called "respectable" families who have no idea how to discipline children or bring them up with decent values. It's not just the so-called "underclass" who have unruly children.

Growstuff take your patronising hat off. I could describe some of the autistic and severe ADHD traits that I observed but chose not to Some of the behaviour was extremely disturbing to observe at the age of 6.

adaunas

*Gagajo*, you need to report to the school governing body, or LEA, any school you are personally aware of, or even by hearsay, where children with SEND get no help.
A blanket statement like, “Although with all the financial cuts to education, the children still get no help.” is simply not true in my current, and fairly wide experience.

www.theguardian.com/education/2021/may/13/pupils-in-england-waiting-up-to-five-years-for-special-needs-plan-says-ofsted

Maybe you should tell Ofsted about your fairly wide experience.

AcornFairy

Is there really the need for such vitriol JaneJudge? The way I see it is that, as is so often the case in life, by asking questions we learn. Please teach us kindly.

??????

I haven't read the whole thread and have much to say on it but will keep to 2
Around the '70s a specialist doctor told us that a 90 yr old had died , still in the sole care of their 70 year old mentally
disabled child.
The other - following that placing mothers and unplanned babies in institutations for the 'mentally lacking'

EllanVannin what you describe is NOT ADHD.

So sorry growstuff, obviously my experience from teaching in current and previous schools, watching SEND provision improve steadily since before 2000 and being a governor in two, and having 2DGC who have SEND, obviously can’t contradict a report from Ofsted which covers a wider area.
Which is why I suggested that Gagajo reported any deficiency of SEND provision to the governing body of a school or the LEA, or even, now you mention it, to Ofsted. Just complaining on here won’t achieve much.
I’m glad you reminded me to suggest that.
** Just to clarify, my teaching experience only covers 4-11 years. My KS3 knowledge is only via what my DGC have received.

JaneJudge

^The outrage at the OP asking whether parents might be responsible was uncalled for^

was it Cheshunt? have you got a child, grandchild with a disability or additional need? or do you work with people with disabilities?

Have you faced everyday prejudice and discrimination because of that?

I have had an absolute gutful of professionals and people blaming parents of children with disabilities for their children's problems

I suggest you read my post again. I was referring to children who have been damaged by their parents lifestyle or mental condition. They may display all manner of behavioural problems. You can't say those children don't exist. You seem to have taken the wrong end of the stick here.

Hippocrates, born circa 460 BC, identified ADHD. He noted that these children, mainly boys, were not able to concentrate for any length of time. He recommended lots of ex cerise and eating plenty of fish.

Adhd, autism, dyslexia, and dyspraxia are nothing to do with parenting. They are congenital conditions. Parents who struggle generally are more likely to struggle with neurodiverse children than those who cope well. But these developmental conditions nearly always cause problems within the family. No-one who has not had to deal with a neurodiverse child within their own family can possibly understand the challenges involved.

The problem is misdiagnosis . There is a lot of it about. I can’t be bothered arguing with the nasties about it but I have experienced it personally and I know that it was more a parental issue than anything wrong with certain children. If you are brought up with abuse, drunkenness and perhaps a mentally ill parent then you might well display similar symptoms to an ADH child. Some have obviously lived in a very sheltered world is all I can say. Thanks you for your lovely comment amber. I really appreciate it.