It will be five weeks on Monday that I've been a non-smoker. My husband has also quit and we're both marvelling at just how easy it's been. Having done the pills, replacement and even hypnosis routes before, and feeling hard done by and resentful, this time it's been a breeze. Wish we'd done it with the Allen Carr book the first time, would have saved fortunes in nicotine replacements (patches, inhalators, gum you name it, we tried it). Good luck to everyone still trying and feeling deprived. I've been there and would not swap the feeling of finally being permanently done with smoking for anything in this world.

Day 12 on the EasyWay and still a happy non-smoker. Sure, there's the odd pang of craving and yes, my hand still occasionally shoots out to where the fags & ashtray used to sit on my computer table. It's just a pang, and no more compelling than a tummy rumble. Sense of smell is returning and food is beginning to have flavours I'd long since forgotten. Hacking cough is long gone, and it's a joy to fill my lungs without expecting a lung to fall out. I'm not sure if it's related, but I am sleeping like a baby and actually feel refreshed when I wake up. I'm exactly as free from the burden of smoking as I wish to be. I like that I am in control, and I love being a non-smoker.

I've been a non-smoker for 8 days now, thanks to Allen Carr's Easyway book. Someone actually mentioned this book to me around Xmas time or thereabouts and knowing what a heavy smoker she was, I was seriously impressed she'd managed to quit. I figured that even if it didn't help, reading the book certainly couldn't hurt so I picked up a secondhand copy from Amazon for about a pound. That's way less than even a pack of cigs! As recommended, I continued smoking even while I read the book and after hammering a good 40 a day for the last 20yrs, I was not what anyone could possibly describe as a light or social smoker either. After trying patches, gum, inhalators, willpower, hypnotherapy, acupuncture and the usual smoking cessation sessions, this is what did it for me. I do not feel deprived, I feel free. I've never attended an Allen Carr therapy group, so I have no input on that one way or the other. As far as the book, I just can't recommend it highly enough.

Well, we lost. Appeal dismissed on the grounds of no error in law. To be honest, we knew from the get-go that the odds were decidedly against us. You go in not expecting to win, yet still hopeful you might just catch a break. If nothing else, the decision will help other parents in the same boat to better frame their own appeals. Once the decision is on the Tribunals site, I'll attempt to link it. Huge thanks to the charity SOS!SEN for their backing and support, both financial & emotional. If this were a boxing match, we'd be down, but definitely not out. Still some tricks up our sleeves yet

Much appreciated, Tiglet and Maroondevo, thanks for thinking of us. We're still awaiting the written decision. To be completely fair, the Judge did say at the time that the very earliest he imagined his decision would be with us would be second week of Jan, but much more likely to be the third week. I've chewed my fingernails up to the elbow about now, and unless I hear something soon, I'll be headed right into arm pit territory.

Well, it's all done. We arrived early and well prepared, the LEA arrived late and ill-prepared. Judge said from the outset that he would be giving his decision in writing rather than at today's hearing. While this was disappointing, at least we weren't holding out false hope for a decision today. Judge also said he's sitting in Leeds in the first week of the new year, but that he would do his utmost to have a written decision with us by the second or third week in January. Really, it's just more finger crossing & nail chomping until then, and, of course, still no school for my kiddo. Exhausted. Wish us luck and happy hols, all!

Starting to worry now. I'm told so few SEN appeal cases make it to Upper Tribunal (formerly High Court). It's just hard to hope for the best, yet impossible not to do exactly that. After all this, just watch us be snowed out now... :3

Things are certainly heating up with our case. We were to be listed for some time early Jan to end Feb next year. The LA rather shot itself in the foot by writing to the Upper Tribunal expressing "concern" my daughter had been out of school all term and threatening me with issue of a preliminary notice under s437 of The Education Act 1996. (Like we haven't written to them repeatedly requesting my daughter return to her mainstream as an interim measure or even to the dreaded named school if they would only write to confirm the provision they were offering!) It seems the Judge took an exceedingly dim view of the LA's threats and taken in tandem with their submitted availability dates (not until late February - procrastination & deliberate delay much?), the Judge ordered that the matter be brought forward so that it is resolved before the end of the year! We're now listed for the 23rd, next week! We're thrilled! Whatever happens, change will happen. I'm crossing all my fingers & toes that the legal outcome is both helpful to us as well as helpful to other parents in the same boat with a ridiculous & wholly unenforceable 1st Tier Tribunal Order. On the bright side, even if the Decision isn't terribly helpful to us, it will certainly be beneficial to others preparing for their own cases. Wish us luck for next Wednesday!

Well done! Awesome news!

Oh, clearly you're just bored and attempting to fill your otherwise empty days in the west wing of your DLA-funded mansion with a bit of frivolous litigation.... I think I'll attempt to relieve the tedium by indulging in a long drive in the ole motability Roller now... All my fingers & toes crossed for you on the 3rd December, Bookworm.

Parents of children with autism, is there anything you'd like to ask Brian Lamb about the Lamb Enquiry? This just received from TreeHouse (national charity for autism education):- Brian Lamb OBE will be logging on to the TreeHouse talk about autism forum on Friday 27 November to take part in a webchat about the Lamb Inquiry and answer questions from the public. We would be grateful if you could pass information about the webchat on to your networks of children and young people with special educational needs and their parents to let them know that the webchat is happening and that it will be a great chance to find out more about the Lamb Inquiry and put their questions to Brian Lamb. www.treehouse.org.uk

Update from me, too. We now have a pretty Order directing an oral hearing before the Judge in Upper Tribunal. Mindful of costs, we definitely did not request an oral hearing. The LEA requested an oral hearing, probably hopeful that the prohibitive costs might scare us off. Without the SEN charity fronting the costs for us (and allowing us to repay it a bit at a time), we would have had to fold, give up, concede a hundred times over by now. Normally we both work, but since my daughter isn't in school, I have reduced my hours to bare minimum so I can homeschool her and look after her during the day. There is just absolutely no way on earth we could have managed the costs all at once. Having spoken with the listing office, it seems they are currently listing for January 2010. Even at the end of November that seems so far off in the distance. Apparently we are to be listed as a priority, but we have no idea what that might mean insofar as when they might actually list us. Then, of course, it's all the dancing around trying to find the one date both we (and our barrister) and the LA (and their barrister) can attend. Since the LA ended funding for her at the mainstream school she was at before this all kicked off and because they have failed completely to provide to the named school the resources Ordered and set out in both her statement of SEN and the Decision of the First Tier, my daughter has not been to school since July. We have already sailed past the October term start hoped for by the special school we want for her. We're so grateful to them for keeping her place open for her. They have just asked us to keep them posted on where we are in the appeal system. So that's where we are in all this.

Did anyone see this last night? 'Special education must change' - Channel 4 News There was a lot of fist shaking at the telly going on in my house last night while we watched this. Funny how the LA just happens to offer places in a special school for these three lads on the very day a film crew hit the family's house, isn't it? Celebrating the family's long, hard won victory, and saluting all the folks behind the scenes who worked hard to help them achieve it. Though they are not mentioned here or in the clip, the charity who are assisting us with my daughter's appeal are involved. Special mention goes to Channel 4's decision to highlight the lunacy of permitting the LA to both assess AND decide the amount of funding for SEN.

Although I've read the IPSEA site, we are receiving help from another SEN organisation. I'd gladly name them (welcome to message me), and once this is all over I certainly will, but I'm worried it would absolutely identify us to the LA.

I was glued to the screen last night for this programme. I, too, saw hints of my young daughter in all three of the lads. Alex's date was particularly endearing. Oli's undaunting attempts to find work were inspiring. Tom's inability to verbalise his disappointment at the last minute failure of his online girlfriend to turn up on his doorstep had me in floods. I felt for their mothers, all doing the best they can with varying degrees of success. If there's one of us with a child on the spectrum who hasn't snapped or grumbled or attempted to over-manage at some time or other, well, I bow to you. Hopefully, the BBC will revist these three young men again in the future and give us an update. I'd love to know how Thomas is faring, whether Alex has found love, and whether cheeky, chirpy Oli has at last found gainful employ.