[New Horizons]

How would you feel about a Year 4 child with special needs and dietary restrictions going on a 1 night camp through school?

Fishing is one activity, and they eat fish with their meal. As an ethical vegetarian, my child is disgusted that this even hsppens. They have store bought fish as well, and an activity they do is to prepare and batter the fish. My child is expected to participate in this, even if she doesn't eat it.

She has Coeliac Disease and I worry about cross contamination. She's been at this school for a few weeks and has been glutened 4 times so far.

Having Autism, and being unable to sleep in her own bed, I have concerns about her being away overnight.

The school uses this as a fundraiser. I'm happy to donate money, but have concerns that she will be in an environment where she is not yet equipped to deal with it, and will not have appropriate support while away from me.

I'd go with her, but just started a new job, in a new town, as a single parent so not in a position to attend.

Surely these are legitimate concerns!

[girltribe4]

Yes legitimate concerns , worth a chat to the school .

My daughter is not SN but has very strange food ''issues'' .Apparently last year she got upset as the teachers were cross they had to make her alternate meals so she would eat something , this only came out when a newsletter about this years camp came home

I rang the headmistress and she said to put it on the form this year that she had ''issues'' so the teachers would know and hopefully not get frustrated with her.

[ekbaby]

Fishing- do they all have to do the fishing activity? Most school camps I went on their was a choice of activities like abseiling, archery, bushwalking etc and usually only the kids who were really into fishing chose fishing. I would check if it was compulsory. Likewise the battering fish sounds like it might be an issue for a vego kid and risky with the coeliacs (in terms of the flour going everywhere)- but I would think in many cases it would be possible for her to sit that activity out- What did the school say?

The sleeping thing would be my biggest concern, if I felt that my child wasn't ready/able to spend the night away from me (and any other attachment figures eg grandparents) I'd hold off on going to camp. If she's going to be very emotional and distressed in the middle of the night I would think it's not worth it. Is there any option for her to attend for just one of the days/daytime activities- say if you picked her up after work?

[opethmum]

I would just do the day thing and pack a meal with her so she is not glutened and there is no cross contamination with her meal. With fishing, I don't think kids will be patient enough anyway for there to be enough fish for them to eat. Perhaps she can just sit on the shore line and read a book (if that appeals to her), I would just pick her up at the conclusion and if it is possible return her in the morning.
If you can't do that, just send her to school and I am sure that school will provide a meaningful activity. I did not go to school camp for year 9 and 11 and they found something for us to do.

Good luck and I hope you find something for her.

[Bacongirl]

We have had a few children opt out of the overnight trips that DD has had through school so far.

One opted out as she was a very anxious child and just would not cope with the changes to routine and being away from home. This was for the year 5 camp and only an overnighter. The mother just kept her home for the two days that the kids were away as the only supervision at school would be for the child to sit in another year's class.

Last year DD did a two night, three day trip that was almost $500. A number of families opted out as they just couldn't afford it! In this case the kids went to school and just sat in with other year's and did 'busywork'

I think the concern with your DD's -Autism and inability to sleep away from home is reasonable enough for the school to allow you to opt out.

I do know that if you list Coelic on the permission form the schools have to take this very seriously. The issue following on from this though is lack of awareness of what kids with Coelic disease can and can not have or do.

I'm not sure that her adversion to fishing due to ethical beliefs would be enough on it's own to be able to opt out.

[howdo]

Camps aren't compulsory. You don't need a reason not to send your child. However saying that she is unable to sleep outside her own bed due to Autism and an ethical opposition to fishing is quite an adequate reason!

If she doesn't want to go simply inform the school she won't be attending. They can't make her.

[Niamh23]

I'm not sure that her adversion to fishing due to ethical beliefs would be enough on it's own to be able to opt out.

I think it absolutely should be. If the child was opposed to eating/killing a certain animal for religious reasons, no one would question it.

This post has been edited by Niamh23: 16/02/2013, 10:26 PM

[cinderellainsydn...]

My mum would not let me go to any sleep over camps until high school even though I had no special dietary requirements. Day trips and excursions were ok. I don't think I missed out - I actually didn't want to go all that much because I didn't really like being away from all the facilities, and probably a third of the class did not end up going one reason or another.

It seems like your daughter will not enjoy the main fishing/cooking activity, so what's the point of going? I HATED athletics carnivals, but loved swimming ones. Mum always used to write up a good note so that I wouldn't have to go to the dreaded athletics one. (but she always made time to come to watch me swim!) I have fond memories of her being supportive like that.

[ZombieMum]

She has Coeliac Disease and I worry about cross contamination. She's been at this school for a few weeks and has been glutened 4 times so far.

Sounds like the school (or just her teacher) doesn't "get" it - both her coeliac and her ASD, and are not taking it seriously.

How has she been glutened the other times?

My child is expected to participate in this, even if she doesn't eat it.

Had this issue with one teacher - she expected my DD to participate in a cooking activity (teacher had bought a gluten free packet) BUT the teacher was going against our wishes on the medical form - as we had clearly stated she was not to be given any food that wasn't provided by us.
The teacher didn't even consult us - fortunately I heard about it before it occurred, and the teacher was very difficult to chat to - even when I pointed out that the cooking equipment was covered in caked on food.

This teacher just didn't understand what gluten free meant (she even once asked me if my DD could have some fairy bread someone had brought in for a party. ), and I am pretty sure that's why we had so many issues.


Have you had a meeting with the school about camp? If not, then you need to arrange one asap and stand your ground.

[bye]

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This post has been edited by bye: 29/03/2013, 02:16 PM