ACPR Blog

Special Educational Needs: A Parent’s Guide has just been reviewed very favourably in Cerebra’s newsletter.

“This is a very straightforward book with easy-to-follow information and advice for parents. The many areas covered include speech problems, family life, housing and finance.

“Each chapter explains the issues and provides tick box lists to help apply it to your own child’s situation. Photocopyable charts help to deal with issues such as behaviour.

“Every chapter is clear, to the point, and very helpful. An appendix lists charities, support groups and government help. A great resource.”

Special Educational Needs: A Parent’s Guide by Antonia Chitty and Victoria Dawson has just been reviewed in the Dyspraxia Foundation newsletter. The review reads, “This book is part of a Need to Know handbook guide series designed to be an easy to use reference handbook for families.  It provides an excellent starting point for any parent wanting more information when faced with the possibility that their child might have special educational needs.

“The layout and design is really friendly and easy to understand. I found the early part particularly helpful dealing with the difficulties children may face and where to go for advice on each special needs diagnosis. Positive practical advice on issues such as sleep deprivation, education and behavioural problems are included in the book. It also offers suggestions on subjects ranging from ‘who can help’ when faced with che hallenges of finding the best eduction for your child to ‘how to cope within the family’.”

You can buy the book from www.need2knowbooks.co.uk

From The Telegraph, Saturday:

“Chitty, 38, from Bexhill, East Sussex, is typical of this trend for a flexible approach. She relaunched her career after having two children (now aged six and three), but cheerfully calls herself “unemployable”, in the traditional sense.

“I’m 19 weeks pregnant with my third child, so after a stint at the computer I like to sit in a comfy chair and have a cup of tea,” she says. “Add in my ideal of a job that’s 9-3, that works around school holidays and one that I can take time off for inset days, school plays and assemblies and, like a huge number of women, I’m basically unemployable.”

Nevertheless, since leaving full-time work five years ago, Chitty has forged a career as an author and in public relations. She specialises in promoting the start-up businesses of women with children.

“I was doing that classic thing of spending all my money on child care while resenting someone else bringing up my daughter,” she says. “I volunteered myself for a magazine article on women who were unhappy with their work/life balance and had a session with a life coach.

“She pointed out that I had all the skills to work from home and that people would pay for those skills. Now I get to choose the hours I work and spend time with my children.”

My new book is up on the publisher’s website, even though it is not out until September. The site says,

“Every parent wants their child to be happy at school, but it’s not always that easy. In What to Do When Your Child Hates School, Antonia Chitty tells you what to do if school is making your child miserable or failing to meet their needs. Unlike other books, this guide will look at solutions within and outside the state education system, from talking to the school, looking at different schools, educating at home or even setting up your own school. Real life case studies will enhance clear explanations of your rights. Hear from parents, teachers and children about how to make the system work for you, or how to work outside it.”