Other Concerns

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Hello, I would like some advise on what to do about helping my six year old son who is now in year 2 who, according to his teachers at school, is behind with his work. In year 1, they put him on an individual education plan (IEP) and at the most recent parents evening advised me they have put him on school action plus star and to consider him to see a psychologist. We are young parents and have always given our son a stable and loving upbringing. We got him into a good catholic school, but I can't help that feel that the education system is failing him.

We help him at home and he does well, but this does not seem to be the same at school. He has never seemed to have any problems; he walked, talked and developed normally. He is an outgoing lovely little boy, and if there was something mentally wrong with him, I feel I would have been the first to notice this. When he started school he was the smallest and one of the youngest in the class. He didn't enjoy school or want to go to school, which we    thought was just a phase, in which we tried to help with. We had some concerns about him being bullied as he had marks on him.

We later found out that one boy in his class had been bullying him throughout his time in recess, and half way through year 1. This boy eventually left just after Christmas, and only since then has my son started to improve at school. I know that this experience has really affected him. Not long after the boy left, my son was having nightmares about it all. He seems to be over this now and he really enjoys going to school and learning. However this has left him behind in his work.

I feel he just needs time to catch up; however, the school is now mentioning a psychologist and special needs education, which I do not feel would benefit him but only label him, when there is nothing physically or mentally wrong with him. Some of the targets mentioned on the IEP, I know he can do because I have done them with him at home. I do not no what to do about this situation, and the best way to help my son achieve his full potential. Please, can you give me some advise on this matter?

Your question is a little bit out of our scope of expertise; however, it sounds like you may want to go ahead and pursue an independent evaluation by a psychologist who is not associated with your son's school in order to rule out whether there is indeed a learning problem that is affecting his performance in school. He is still very young, so ruling out any learning problems at this early stage in his schooling can only be beneficial for you and for him in the long run. If the psychologist has no concerns, then you will be armed with the information you need to present to his teachers and you can further discuss why they think he needs the extra help and additional services.

Keep in mind that there can be issues that present themselves at home, but not at school or vice versa as in your situation. I am not    sure how your services work in the UK, but in the US, children who have an IEP in place are already part of the special education system, since an IEP is designed to address the various goals and objectives that a child needs to work on in order to be successful in all areas of development. Children who have an IEP/IFSP in the US are already typically 25% or more behind their peers in at least one area of development. I would also stress being very honest with his teachers and calling a team meeting if possible to address the bullying problem and how you feel this may have adversely affected your son's school work and performance. Best of luck to you and I apologize that I can't be more specific in offering more advice.

Back to:  Therapist Questions & Answers - Other Concerns

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