Thank you, I might message you 
I’m so sorry for you. It must be tough. But navigating the French system will be even harder, as you are not fluent and it sounds like you’ll be doing this on your own.
The British friends we know here who have done best for themselves and their children have been couples, working mainly for other Brits, the children have been young (older children have tended to stay in the UK) and have integrated very fast into French schooling - fluent in months. Working as couples, they’ve supported each other through the tough stuff - the bureaucracy can be very hard.
You imagine your life in a small French town which in winter can close right down, especially in rural areas. French families are very close, incomers do not always integrate easily. It is essential you get to know France outside of summer holidays. We saw our place in March - cold and wet. We have lovely French neighbours, BUT in 20 years they have never invited us to their house or to be part of their lives. It may be easier if you are working and in the school system, because you will meet other parents.
Sorry if this sounds harsh.
1 Like
That sounds realistic. I appreciate the harshness, I’d much rather know it than walk into it and be surprised and disappointed. I still haven’t made up my mind, which is also why im here asking - for brutal honesty preferably. I have a little less than two years to figure it all out, and with these things in mind I definitely wont walk into it completely oblivious and who knows, maybe I’ll be terrified enough to abandon the plan and look for a new one 
1 Like
Be careful what you wish for. I’ve a couple of thoughts, but they definitely fall into the category of “being direct”, and so I’ve kept them to myself.
But joining SF is the best start you could have made.
1 Like
As far as state schools are concerned, especially in small towns and villages, there is not really any special help for children diagnosed with special needs etc. My son is a principal English teacher at a big central city college here and he also works for some hours each with the SEGPA section in the college which are pupils that cannot fit into the mainstream classes for one reason or another and he actually prefers teaching them because he cares and where other colleagues just pass the time with them making them frustrated. None of these pupils will end up going to Lycée as mainstreamers as their problems hold them back but he at least feels he is helping them if only a little bit to learn they are not no-hopers and there will be something eventually for them to become. When we moved here both of mine were small so they went straight to the village primary school but no special help was given, the teachers believed in throwing them in the deep end and both ended up as professionals with degrees from University so it is possible but hard work is needed by both parents and kids to make this happen and I shall be forever grateful to those three teachers who took them on and who have remained good friends to this day. I would say time is important for the OP to get this move under way sooner rather than later in two years time as that is education time she won’t get back.
3 Likes