Mum tells how strike days are a struggle for ASN kids
Callsformoresupportasupsettoroutinehashugeimpact
A West Lothian mum has asked for more support as the teacher strikes impact her autistic child’s routine.
Across the country teachers are walking out following a dispute over pay and the last wave of strikes forced all West Lothian schools to close on Tuesday, January 31.
While she supports the strike action and agrees teachers should have better pay, Lisa Stevenson (39), from Bathgate, has spoken out over the disruption and “upset” it is causing her autistic son, Riley.
Riley (11) also has learning difficulties and the change in routine is having a knock-on effect to the entire family.
Lisa explained that the change in routine upsets Riley who attends Ogilvie School Campus in Livingston.
She said: “He can’t always vocalise or understand why he was in Monday but off on Tuesday.
“It isn’t being off school that upsets him, it upsets his routine and he then wanted to be off on the Wednesday.
“On the Wednesday, when we were getting ready to go to school, he was crying, he was shouting.
“His language isn’t great so he was saying ‘no school, no school, no clothes!’
“It took some time to get him settled. I put some music on to help calm him and he was okay, but it was that initial reaction of him realising that he had to go to school after being off Tuesday.”
Lisa said: “I get why teachers are striking, and I know strikes are meant to be disruptive, but I just feel the impact it’s having on our kids and the parents with kids who have special needs will be feeling it as well.
“It would be easier if it was a Friday or Monday, but I do understand why it’s not.
“It’s just really hard to see your kid upset.”
The mum-of-two admitted she had to take older son, Cody, out of school for a couple of days to look after Riley during strikes earlier in January so she could go to work, but said she didn’t want to have to do that again.
Lisa, who runs her own fitness business, added: “I’m just anxious at how Riley is going to cope with it and how.
“If I need to keep him off an extra day to manage his distress, how is that going to impact my business moving forward?
“I’ve got clients, I could get new clients, so that’s someone else I need to accommodate.
“Knowing in advance as much as possible is important so that we can prepare for it.”
“The next strikes are Tuesday February 28 and Wednesday March 1, so I’m already thinking I need to book Monday off.
“I know loads of parents are taking unpaid leave, it’s affecting everyone in different ways.”
An EIS spokesperson said: “Teachers do not want to be on strike and are taking this action as an absolute last resort.
“The underfunding of education and cuts to resourcing and staffing continue to have a clear impact on the educational experience of young people and piling ever more pressure on teaching staff. Education must be properly funded and resourced and teachers must be fairly paid to ensure all young people can receive the highquality education that they deserve.
“Teachers very much regret any impact on pupils as a result of strike action, and would urge the Scottish Government and COSLA to settle this dispute in the best interests of young people in our schools.”
A spokesperson for West Lothian Council said: “We appreciate industrial action by teaching unions will cause significant disruption to the learning of our children and young people and have sympathy for parents and pupils – particularly those with complex and additional needs during periods of school absence.
“Our additional support team would be happy to discuss these issues with any parent that requires support, and offer advice and assistance with practical strategies that may help during this time.”