This mother fights for her autistic son's education

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It's a warriorbut there she don't know how to do it anymore. Johanna is proud to be the mother of little Christianaged five. The latter, schooled in Melun (Seine-et-Marne), is autistic and needsspecific supervision. But attending school gives the impression of being part of obstacle course and the mother of the family bears witness to the difficulties encountered. She seems to be coming at the end of all ideas that she could have had, and fears for her son's future within the school world.

A journey strewn with pitfalls

Johanna is the mother of Christian, a five-year-old autistic child. Even before her son was born, she worked as a childcare assistant in Paris. His experience allowed him to recognize some early signs of autism.

” THE first signs at Christian's house appeared between his 15 and 18 monthswhen he didn't speak and only made sounds,” she explains. The awareness was gradual, especially when Christian showed signs of atypical behaviorspreferring to interact with adults rather than children his own age.

In search of answers, Johanna and her family consulted a child psychiatrist in Fontainebleau. In July 2021, at the age of 28 months, Christian was diagnosed with autism.

From there began the beginning of a long road of administrative procedures. “I quickly took the lead and filed a file from the Departmental House for Disabled People (MDPH) in October 2021,” says Johanna.

Due to Covid, the processing of files was faster with the restriction of appointments. It was in January 2022 that Christian finally obtained a notification of the MDPH.

But that wasn't Christian's only need. Johanna remembers finding a psychomotor therapist in Bondoufle (Essonne), 45 minutes from Melun.

“She asked me why I came from so far. The answer is simple: it is extremely difficult to find a professional who agrees to new autistic patients“, she confides. Thanks to the advice of this professional, Johanna was able to get a place in Vaux-le-Pénilthus reducing stress and the distance to be covered.

Entry to school and the obstacles encountered

In September 2022, Christian made his entry into the small kindergarten section. Johanna had anticipated by asking for a accompanying student with a disability (AESH). However, the lack of prior evaluation by the teaching staff complicated the allocation of sufficient aid.

“My child was only entitled to a shared AESHit's like she's helping him 45 minutes per day“, deplores Johanna. Aid judged paltry, especially in a school where seven children with disabilities shared two AESH.

Faced with this lack of supervisionunpleasant consequences for teachers appear: “Children are difficult to channelthis causes l’agitation and sometimes violent behavior. It is difficult for teachers and other students“, attests the mother.

Under these conditions, we are sometimes told that our child cannot be admitted to school.

Johanna understands these constraints, but insists on the law from Christian to receive an adapted education : “Every student has the right to learn in a serene environmentbut Christian also has the right to have access to the same lessons. »

In April 2023, Johanna renewed her request for a Individual AESHessential up to 24 hours per week. But the processing time took eight monthsand it is only in December 2023 that the family received a positive response.

The arrangement of Christian's timetable, limited to three mornings and one afternoon per weekonly reinforced the complexity of the situation.

In addition, his request for a companion for the middle times, in order to manage meals and out-of-class supervision, is remained unanswered. “Since last May, National Education has taken charge of this part, but no one offered us a solution. »

The call for urgent action

Johanna's testimony highlights an inclusive school which remains, for the moment, a distant ideal. “Inclusive school does not mean putting a child with a disability in a class with only 45 minutes of AESH per day,” she insists. Lack of resources and of trained staff is a systemic problem.

“The supervisors did not not the necessary meansand this has repercussions on children who, frustrated, end up reject school »she squeaks

Today, Christian, who started the school year with enthusiasm, feels this difference. Christian’s mother adds: “He is faced with more difficulties and it affects him. » She fears the future, in particular the transition to CP, and refuses the idea of ​​repeating a grade : “That would put him in even more difficulty. »

The mother then had the idea of ​​looking for a specialized structurebut by contacting an establishment located in Montereau-Fault-Yonne, she quickly disillusioned : “I was told that there was about six years of waiting ! »

This mother who gave all his soul for the well-being of your child seems lost today : “On my parental scale, I no longer have a solution. The State must catch up on the accumulated delay on the care of children with disabilities. »

I, like other parents, need to be heard.

For Johanna, it is crucial to propose viable solutions like specific classes with trained teachersallowing children to progress and, possibly, join traditional courses. “We also need to find a way to better inform parentsbecause we don’t always know where to go or which structure to turn to,” she emphasizes.

His heartfelt cry is poignant reminder : behind each administrative file, each delay and each missing response, lies the trying daily life of a family who tries to ensure a better future for your child.

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