Downs With Ups

Hello again.  Here is the second instalment of my thoughts about options for Poppet after primary school…

…There are three types of schools that accommodate children with special needs, like Poppet.  There are the regular secondary schools, whether they’re public or private, that cater mostly for regular kids; there are the special schools, that cater for children with a mild intellectual disability, which is measured by the results of an IQ test between 50 to 70; then there are the special development schools that cater for children with a moderate intellectual disability and an IQ of 35 to 50.

Entrance to special schools is also subject to a second test, the ‘Vineland’ that is administered to assess things like the child’s ability to self-care and interact socially.

My partner and I had visited each of the different types of schools in our zone and had set our hearts on the special school.  Its facilities were terrific and were very much focussed on providing the students with vocational skills.  Out of the three schools we visited, I felt that it would have given Poppet the best secondary schooling for a number of different reasons, including, I can now say with the benefit of hindsight, a huge measure of hope.

Poppet was assessed several months ago with the Vineland and arrived at a score of 63.  We were buoyed by this healthy result and turned our attention to the IQ test.  All we needed now was for Poppet to achieve a score of at least 50.

The nights before the scheduled test, we made sure Poppet went to bed early and ensured she ate as healthily as possible.  We spoke about why the test was important and asked her to do her best; we built up her esteem and praised her lovingly.

On the day of the test, we calmly introduced her to the psychologist.  My partner and I each took it in turns to sit in the room so that we could encourage her and assist if necessary.  We believed that we had given it our best shot and Poppet worked beautifully over the three-hour time-frame.  We were very proud of her.

Then it all came to a head a few weeks later when we were sweating on the results of the test, the consequences of which were to be the conclusive climax to hours of discussion, debate and assessment (not to mention anguish), that we’ve committed to this topic.  As it transpired, Poppet’s score was less than the prerequisite 50.

With so much invested in the result, my partner and I were gutted, as were Poppet’s teachers and aides.  A second test was out of the question, as they may only be administered with a gap of two years between each test.

I’ll leave it there for now with the promise of more to come soon.