Ive recently been told my 14yr old daughter has a global learning delay.
I dont know what to do next or what it means for her.
I've tried to Google what it means but it just takes me to pages about global developmental delay which is confusing me more.
Hello Confused87, please be reassured I too would be very confused. I also wonder how your daughter is understanding this as well?
Global learning delay is a powerful term but it is merely descriptive and not officially defined, unlike Learning Disability (which can also be confusing) or Autism so provides very little clarity about what it means. It would be helpful to understand who concluded this and what they have based it on. What profession was the person? What did they do to discover this? Was it just from observation, talking with your daughter, her teacher and yourself and/or did they do any tests? Did they produce a report that will help her, you and others understand what support she needs?
I speak from some experience and the potential usefulness of these labels are in the detail of the reports. Such assessments and reports should provide clearer direction to others about how to enable the person to reach their potential, the support they will need. Sadly however this is often not the case. I would go back to the person who has said this of your daughter and ask for clarity from them and written clarity so that you can use it to help guide whoever supports your daughter now and into her future. If it has left you, her mum, confused then how is it meant to be helpful to your daughter?
Hi Thank you for you reply.
It was her high school that have diagnosed her with it. I was given a piece of paper outlining the extra support she receives in school and it was written on there.
I've always known that she was behind at school as it was an issue in primary but her primary school fobbed me off alot and didn't put in any extra support until she was in year 6, but she was never assessed or diagnosed with anything (to my knowledge).
Her high school have obviously picked up on something and have came to this conclusion but never made me aware of it until now but I was only given the piece of paper as I have requested to move her to another school due to her being bullied.
I dont think my daughter is aware of the fact that she now has this label, I haven't discussed it with her until I know the facts around it myself.
I'm going to ring her school tomorrow to get better details of how they made this conclusion. I will also contact my gp and ask for another opinion.
How very sad that the school took upon themselves to do this without discussing it with you. Global delay also means they have no idea of what your child needs are.
It’s another way to diminish her intellect.
I would go back speak to school.
And would go to CAMHS and request an asseememt on your child.
Take care.
It’s good that you speak with your GP but also ask the school what assessments they are seeking. The have a legal duty of care to your daughter and they should be seeking assessments from educational specialists, such as educational psychologists. It is not good enough (or ethical) to just use that phrase/label without there being clearer evidence about how this conclusion has been reached. Also if she has global learning delay then is she not entitled to SEN arrangements and an Education, Health and Care plan? In which case it might be worthwhile to contact your local council about local SEN entitlements and processes. I will admit I lose track about how the minefield of the many children’s services work.
She has an SEND learning plan so they have put stuff in place, but as far as more outside help to my knowledge there isn't any but then I didnt know about the diagnosis they had given her so.I'll be speaking with them tomorrow.
According to the form they filled out for her new school she does not have any care EHCP in place so I fear they have labeled her with this but that's as far as they went.
Now I know about it I guess it's down to me to push for what she needs or might need in the future.
Thank you for your help.
Hi Confused87, we too were told when my son was in his second year at primary school that he had global learning delay. He was not progressing at all with any aspect of learning and was struggling to communicate and make friends. He was also at that time diagnosed with atypical absence epilepsy for which he took medication until 16..... which we were told does go hand in hand with learning disability. From then on we worked with the school(who were brilliant) and he was finally given a statement of educational needs and all through his education has had one to one help in all key lessons and more. He remained in mainstream school although had a lot of support which has had an impact on him knowing that he was ‘different’ to his peers. He is now 27. Please seek all the advice and help you need from the school and also from your GP to attain all the help and support that your daughter is eligible for and so that you are clear what the situation is for her and you.
Hi, just wanted to say schools, teachers and SENDCo’s cannot diagnose anything, only a specialist medical doctor can do that. Secondly, if the school are now talking about your daughter having an EHCP, which I think they should be, make sure it’s you who makes that request to the local authority. When a parent requests an assessment, there are automatically deadlines put in place. If the school requests it, these do not come into play and they can delay as long as they like. An EHCP will legally obligate the local authority to make provision for your daughter’s needs, a SEND support plan does not so don’t let anyone tell you that this is sufficient. It would be a good idea to give IPSEA a ring, they are very good and will know all the legalities of assessment and provision. MENCAP may provide a similar service. Finally, don’t despair, easier said than done I know, but you have had all this dropped on you from a great height with very little clarity or support to soften the blow. You will feel better and more in control once you’ve spoken to knowledgeable people who are there to help. Good luck X
Hello
It can be hard to know what do when your get a diagnosis. The person who told you about the diagnosis should also be able to provide more information about it, but sounds like this hasn't happened.
Please could you call our Learning Disability Helpline so you can talk to one of our advisors. They will be able to find out a bit more about your situation, and help you find the right support. Call them on 0808 808 1111 or email helpline@mencap.org.uk
Best wishes
Sarah
Apparently she was diagnosed back in primary school they just failed to tell me. Her high school are sending me over all the information they recieved from the primary school. I knew there were people out assessing her in primary but I was never told she had been given a diagnosis. I was only ever told that the help she was receiving was sufficient to help her learn.
I'm so angry and upset that I was not told she had global learning delay.
Oh dear. That is terrible communication. You should have been told.
It will be good to see all the information from the primary school, it is important that you know everything that was said.
Once you have had a chance to digest all this information it would be worth asking more questions. Particularly about what this means for your daughter, and if there is anything additional that you (and they) can do to help her further.
You are doing all the right things. Now you know, you will be able to find out what this will mean for your daughter.
All the best
Sarah
Its a unusual term I use learning disability 🙂
Seems its all been a a bit of miscommunication.No one has been in and diagnosed my child with global learning delay.
Some words were written but wrote wrong which has led to her high school thinking she had it when it wasn't correct.
She does require extra support with learning but her high school have said she is improving with the strategys they have in place and does not require more support.
Thank you all for your support the last few days I actually feel alot more relaxed and reassured now. 😃
Hello.
Thank you so much for letting us know what happened as I was not sure whether to follow up and ask. I am truly flabbergasted by this outcome. It highlights how important it is for us to be curious about the source of such profound labels in terms of who and how they are reached but also the informative detail that should accompany them.
It’s great to hear though how well she is doing with the support and strategies they are offering, a positive outcome thankfully. I’m glad you found this forum supportive. I find this group really amazing in that way as people always seem to rally with words of wisdom, and as someone recently said this forum helps to form the courageous power of a collective voice.
Take good care of yourself.
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