Dyslexia is something very close to my heart. I have a son who we believe to be dyslexic and he is showing a lot of the signs at school. They tell me every year that he is behind academically and that they are doing everything they can for him. Except for  the one thing they need to do which is to screen him for dyslexia. Up until he was 7 I was told he was too young to be tested. This is because the diagnostic tests can’t be done until they reach the age of 7. 
When he turned 7 they said they don’t have the funding to do the screening. He is now almost 9. He is still massively behind academically. And they still haven’t tested him. 

I get told that I can pay for it myself. The cost of a screening test is from £500. Even if I paid this out to get him tested the schools do not have to accept this because it hasn’t been done by them. 

I have spoken to many parents in a similar situation all of whom have told me the same thing- the schools say they can’t do the testing. Where it’s supposed to be the case that either the educational psychologist or a specially trained teacher do the screening the school says they haven’t got access to either. 

This then creates a problem. Children knowing that they are different and not knowing why. Schools unable to put the right help in place because there isn’t a diagnosis. All of which in turns affects a child’s mental health and also their ability to learn. 

School is supposed to be inclusive. Not every child learns in the same way. This has been proven yet the school system is so rigid with no room for movement if a child does learn differently. 

Something has to change! Schools currently support the screening of autism, ADHD, ADD, etc. Research has shown that these conditions usually, but not always, go hand in hand with dyslexia. It seems odd to me that schools will support the screening of one and not the other. Especially when both affect how a child learns, both affect a child’s mental health and both mean additional support is needed. 

I would really like to get this to government in order for a change to be made. I would like to get a law in place that means every school has to have someone who can screen for dyslexia. I can’t do this alone. 

We have a government who says ‘Every Child Matters’ yet some are left to slide under the radar going way too long without the proper support all because schools can’t find the funding to get them tested for dyslexia. 

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