At the moment I am fairly mobile,I can shuffel around the house holding onto walls and furniture when needed and then borrow a scooter when shopping. I am usually ok walking with my stick to collect the scooter, then I’m off but today I did a little bit of walking with my stick and went into asda to collect the key for the scooter but I couldn’t face going to collect the scooter and instead asked the staff member to collect it for me.
I feel quite ashamed and I have an interview tomorrow to be a teaching assistant at a local special school for children with severe learning difficulties which I really want to do as I love the school and know a lot of the kids that go there from my voluntary work with special needs children.
I have told them that I have a disability but they haven’t asked what disability yet.and they have still invited me for an interview dispite the fact that I have a disability and a black mark on my CRB.
I get so tired doing the most simple of things and am worried that I may end up in a permenant wheelchair and if I would actually be able to do the job which I have dreamed about for the past 6 years.
I’m not sure what your duties would be as a special needs assistant so it is hard to know if it is viable from a wheelchair. If you are expected to have lots of physical interaction (eg showering children who have accidents) it might be quite hard but if it is 1:1 in the classroom there’s no reason why you couldn’t do that from a chair.
You’ll only find out if you go along and see.
If it is that this job is too “hands on” you may need to think about the same job but with older children. Older kids with learning difficulties need far less physical intervention.
Jane
PS Cast off that ashamed feeling. It has no place in anything that happens to you because of MS
Hi , good luck with the interview, forget about the ms and sell your skills to them. Of course I don’t know what other candidates qualifications are like but by what you have said above you sound, to me, very well qualified, your skills and passion come across in what you have said. I don’t know what the job entails but it might well be possible to do your work from a wheelchair. You say it is a special needs school, I’m guessing that the staff will have experience of various kinds of disability then and might be less likely to discriminate or be bothered about someone in a wheelchair. In this case, being in the wheelchair might actually advantage you, you have good experience of what it is like to cope with life under what are not always “ideal” circumstances. Emphasize this to them. I would also say that the type of job you are applying for sounds like the opportunity to turn your disability into a positive. You say you have a black mark on your CRB, I’m sorry ,I don’t know what that is. Let us know how it goes. Cheryl:-)
Thats what I think that because I have a disability that I may have a better understanding of what the children may be going through and they have given me an interview.
I am not in a permenant wheel chairyet but feel like thats the way its going as I struggle with the shortest of distances and often trip up 1 or 2 steps.
I had the interview this morning and it seemed to go well and they didnt ask what disability I had declared butb seemed quite pleased with my experienxce of working with the kids that go there.
The black mark on my CRB as I call it was in 2003 when I was a student and still in Manchester, I was arrested for cannabis posession and cautioned which I told them on the app form and they still interviewed me so it cant have botherd them too much only time will tell.
As a person who in the past may of been the person who interviewed you, I would say your CRB may be discussed with you but is unlikely to go against you, subject to the right answeres in the discussion.
Did you have the opportunity to see the environment you would be working with and the actual duties you would be expected to do?
Hey Pip, I have spoken to oither professionals that have advised me that they know of people working with much more bad notes on their CRB so one can only hope.
I have been to that school before and know a lot of the kids from previous playgroups for SEN childen which I really enjoyed and I did my level 2 childcare course there so belive I could do it and really want the chance.
I did tell her all this and should here back by the end of the day so fingers and toes crossed it vwill be good news.
Trust me some really bad CRB entries have been passed me and its quite easy to spot the moment of madness and high spirts of youth from the dont touch with a bargepole people.
Are you the same person who a few months ago was really down,struggling to go out and meet people and in a difficult domestic situation.
If you are well done you for where you are now. If your not, well done anyway for taking the bull by the horns.
Don’t worry about having to use a wheelchair at times. l have found that children readily accept you - and enjoy having you more on ‘their level’. l have progressed from furniture walking to using a Rollator around the house and garden - [scooter for taking the dogs out.] lt did take me a long time to realise that l needed more support then a stick - or holding on to tables and chairs. The Rollator holds me upright - perfectly balanced - with the benefit of a large storage basket to carry things in - and a seat for when l find my legs giving away. lts opened up my ‘world’. Now l can take food and watering can down to the ducks/chicks - pick beans and courgettes. Even go blackberrying. No more clattering of those damn walking sticks when they fall down!! As l have said before - l wish l could train it to come to a ‘whistle’ - when l find l am the other side of the kitchen from it.
Yes Pip I have changed my user name and yes I hate being at home, don’t get on with my mum or brother when I state that I have problems climbing into the bath to use the shower attached to the bath as the main shower is out of action while he cleans it, he comments that why should they not be able to clean the shower out and why should they make allowances for me
I live with a mother who stresses me out and an uncaring very agressive brother I really can’t wait to be offered a place of my own so that I can move out and take advantage of the care and assistance I believe is out ther, it’s so difficult to stay positive and keep upbeat with the situation I am currently in