The Yarmouth Branch of the Norfolk Autistic Society is calling for action to provide specialist care for young people with autism. Co-organiser, Helen Wolfinden wants units attached to mainstream schools where children can receive support while mixing with other youngsters to learn behaviour patterns. ‘Our children have an invisible disability. Their bad behaviour is put down to to being naughty or to bad parenting’.
Eastern Daily Press, November 1996.
Emma Langdon, who is blind, took part in her first cross country event and came ninth. The 12-year-old has recently become a pupil at the special education department at Monmouth Comprehensive School and all the pupils in that unit took part in the event. Emma said: ‘I really enjoyed it. I will be back next year and hope to take part in the swimming as well’. Head of special needs at Monmouth, Jim Edwards, helped Emma complete the two-mile course by running with her and constantly explaining to her what he could see.
South Wales Argus, November 9, 1996.
Many middle class parents are using dyslexia as an excuse for their children’s low intelligence and unruliness at school, according to a survey of teachers. However a spokesperson for the British Dyslexia Association said the survey showed that teachers need better training ‘to identify children who really have dyslexia and help them through their problems’. A seven-year-old London boy explained how dyslexia affects him: ‘Dyslexia gives me four problems and they are spelling, reading, writing and seeing things back to front’.
Evening Standard, London, November 5, 1996.
An Evesham girl with Down’s Syndrome has renewed an appeal for activity groups to open their doors to people with special needs and give them a chance. Eleven-year-old Samantha Nutting attends mainstream school but is having difficulty finding suitable activities outside school.
Worcester and Hereford News, November 16, 1996.
Parents of youngsters at a Newcastle special school have defied education chiefs and staff by overwhelmingly voting to take it out of council control. Pendower Hall Special School is set to go grant-maintained after parents backed the move by more than four to one in a final ballot. Pendower governors said the opt-out decision had been taken ‘with regret’ but they believed that the council’s re-organisation to bring more disabled children into mainstream schools would not improve the special school’s provision.
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Journal, November 26, 1996
