Hi - new here

talea
talea Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
edited January 2022 in Autism and neurodiversity
Hi, I am Talea. I am neurodivergent and I have two children one with physical and mental health disabilities and one with physical disabilities. Both my children have a rare disorders. 

Just looking for advice and support really. 

Comments

  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    Hi @talea and welcome to the community, thanks for telling us about yourself and your children :)

    If you'd like to have a browse you can visit our Children, Parents and Families category, Scope also has family services which you might find can offer you support if needed. 

    If you'd like to get to know our members better there's also the Coffee Lounge, which is more for casual chat. 

    Let us know if you're unsure of anything, we're here to help.

    Alex
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    edited January 2022
    Hi @talea

    Welcome to Scope's forum. It is great to see you have joined us. How are you today? I am also just wondering how you and your family are feeling about the diagnoses? You can certainly find advice and support here on Scope's forum. Is there anything, in particular, you are looking for advice and support with? We are here for you and your family  :)
  • talea
    talea Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
    L_Volunteer said:
    Hi @talea

    Welcome to Scope's forum. It is great to see you have joined us. How are you today? I am also just wondering how you and your family are feeling about the diagnoses? You can certainly find advice and support here on Scope's forum. Is there anything, in particular, you are looking for advice and support with? We are here for you and your family  :)
    Hi, thanks for the welcome.

    At the moment I am trying to get my son reinstated onto his studies at his university as they have suspended him against his wishes.

    It's a struggle and I am finding it incredibly stressful. 
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    Hi @talea

    I am so sorry to hear this. It sounds like a really tough situation for you both to be in. Did they give a reason for suspending him? Have you tried to talk to the disability and wellbeing team within your son's university about this? Unfortunately, at the university level, universities seem to have their own policies about the process for this. We are here for you, listening to you, and will do anything we can to support you both though!  :)
  • talea
    talea Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
    Hi @L-Volunteer

    They have stated it's due to his mental health symptoms being too challenging for them to deal with (we have no idea what they think they have to deal with) and they have stated that they cannot make any reasonable adjustments (they haven't even asked him what he needs from them) and they have said he needs a diagnosis (he has one) and he needs to engage with a treatment plan (they knew he was pursuing a new NHS referral due to having moved area)

    They have admitted they haven't followed their fitness to study policy, they claim to have serious concerns regarding his safeguarding (we have no idea what they mean by this, we have asked for their evidence)

    We suspect they are concerned about their own legal liability should something happen to my son and that they have some misguided and stigmatised beliefs regarding my son's condition. 

    They haven't complied with anything in the Equalities Act 2010 either. 

    We have requested a meeting to discuss our concerns regarding their lack of duty of care and their failure to make reasonable adjustments as well as our concerns regarding their lack of process and their lack of evidence on which to base their decision but they have yet to agree to a meeting. 

    It's frustrating because we can't do anything because they won't engage with us and talk to us about it. 

    I guess if they continue to refuse to engage we will have to start court action. 

    At the moment I am looking for a solicitor who deals with disability discrimination in education.


  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    @talea I'm sorry to read about what's been happening with the university, but to me it sounds as though you are taking some good steps to challenge it.

    I hope the uni can engage constructively with you and your son, it's a shame to hear that they have yet to agree to a meeting. Good luck in your search for a solicitor. Keep us updated with how you get on, and if there's anything you feel we can do to help, then please don't hesitate to ask.

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