Where we are up to....

Last time I wrote on this blog, I was discussing the mainstream outdoor activity provider that did not want my daughter to attend. I had intended to follow it up, but various things have got in the way (school holidays, 80s rewind festival, Mika gig in Edinburgh, Scouting for Girls gig in Brighton etc) and I just have not found the time to write.

However, today was the day that my daughter should have been attending her second session at the centre, and she is not going.... so we have a lazy day at home instead (though meeting up with friends for tea later this afternoon) and I have time to catch up on important things like housework (!) and writing my blog.

After my last post, I spent a lot of time thinking about what to do and I emailed the centre with the forms for the funding which would provide 1-2-1 support and basically told them that it was unacceptable for them to not fill in the forms and get the funding in place in time for her to attend the Gruffalo Day today.

I also contacted Brent Council who own the centre (although it is in Hampshire it is owned and run by Brent Council) and asked them for a copy of the centre's inclusion policy. After various phone calls I managed to track down the person I needed to speak to, and after playing telephone tag for a few days we eventually spoke. The lady in question claimed that the centre does not need an inclusion policy as it is an outdoor centre, not a playscheme or school. I dont know if this is true or not, but whether or not they have a policy, the law (eg Disability Discrimination Act) still applies to them.

We had a lengthy discussion, and she agreed that the centre would apply for the funding and that my daughter could attend the session. However, she also said that as Aiming High funding expires in March 2011 it was likely to be a problem for next summer (!!!). I decided I would fight that fight later.... !!

Fast forward to a few days ago. I had not heard anything from them, and rather than just turn up with my daughter I decided to just double check all was in place for her to attend today. So I dropped them a quick polite email just asking them to confirm all was ok. They called me back and explained that they would like to move her session to October half term week, ie she could still attend but not today.

Apparently they have funding in place for 1-2-1 support and also some funding for some training. The problem was that the training could not be done in time for today's session.

I am not quite sure what training it is that they want, but have passed them information on various contacts in the local area who should be able to help. And hopefully they will get something sorted for October half term so my daughter can attend.

All sounds such good news?! So why do I feel kind of deflated today? that I have let her down? she should be there attending today and I didnt manage to achieve that for her :(

We will have a great day today I am sure, even if just pottering around the house and popping out to Tescos (tbh we are all in need of a day of doing nothing much as this holiday has been jam packed) but its just not what she should be doing today, is it?