Elizabeth

Elizabeth has Down Syndrome and is profoundly deaf when her cochlear implant device is turned off at night, when swimming etc. She relies on multiple pathways for communication. Elizabeth is also ADHD and is a ‘zipper’ kid, meaning that she has had open heart surgery.

Terry and I, her elderly parents by guardianship, are forever grateful for the opportunity for Elizabeth to attend Salisbury School.

Whilst the deep connection and love between us as a family is huge, we recognised that Elizabeth needs intensive teaching and care, learning life skills and, above all, to have the opportunity to forge friendships with peers, something she had never known how to do before coming to Salisbury. We also recognise that her personal safety is very much at risk in social situations, including in a regular mainstream school, and we want her to learn the skills to keep herself safe when we are not able to do this for her.

When she returned home for school holidays after a short time at Salisbury - wow! We saw a young lady with confidence, routines, and such positive behaviour that we could easily take her out on special occasions. We felt confident that she was beginning to self-manage her behaviour in social settings, with support. She was speaking in small phrases and her words were so clear.

Now she can actually speak to us on the phone, knowing who she is speaking with and actually listening to our conversation. This is the most incredible progress with her wearing of her cochlear device and being taught improving language skills.

All the Salisbury team are amazing the way they embrace Elizabeth’s communication needs and how they unpack her challenging behaviours, work out strategies to manage them and help us learn new ways too. All staff are very fond of our princess, and we can see how loved and accepted Elizabeth is.

Elizabeth enjoys everything she does and learns. She needs intensive support if she is to reach her potential and she receives this at a very high level at Salisbury. This is the very best education and behavioural support programme carried out with so much dedication and great love that we could ever have hoped for, for Elizabeth.

We feel blessed that Elizabeth has this great and wonderful opportunity. We enjoy all the reports and communication. We just love the happiness Elizabeth shares with us about each of her achievements - all the different activities, basketball, swimming, nature walks that she is able to take part in and how she is learning to care not only for herself, but the beautiful world around her.

The joy of seeing her develop lasting friendships that don’t quickly disintegrate is wonderful.

– Terry and Colleen Bayer