what happens if you keep your child away from school

[connieruff]

Hi,

I was talking to a woman who has been through the nightmare of school with her 15 year old and he is now at home taking exams. She said that if my son becomes ill and depressed when he goes back to school then the best thing I could do for him was to take him to the doctor and get him signed off for 'emotional distress'' this was because I told her I feel almost cruel for sending him to school as the teachers and his class 'mates' bully him.

She said if this happened then it would help my case for getting him statemented as well.

Has anyone ever done this, and what happens when a child is signed off school?

Thanks,

Cx

 

[wasuup]

If you get your child signed off for medical reasons you must get a note from the Doctor. If your child has been away from school for 10 days or more the school inform the Education Welfare and from then on the LEA have a responsibility to provide alternative education. They usually have home tutors, online schools and special units. OR there is Home Education were the parent takes full responsibility and pays full costs for exams or otherwise.

[sassyj]

Hi C,

I dont know how old your child is but I have taken all three of my children out of the school system at various times because they couldnt cope and wernt offered support, only my youngest has a diagnosis of ASD but the older two had there own probs, dyslexia, panic attacks depression and they wernt helped, the youngest went to school for 18 mths then I took him out because he was an emotional mess.

My oldest my daughter is now at college and doing very well, we paid for work to be sent to her and paid for her to take her GCSE's which I have to say cost us a fortune but was worth it for my dd mental health, My middle child, my eldest boy went to a grammer school but because of his dyslexia which the school never accepted and his organisation problems and bullying that was never resolved, we took him out, he has been out for a yr now and is so much happier and seems more mature, he works hard from home but finds it difficult with my youngest with ASD and other diagnosis home with him.

We took the youngest out because he was just left in a corner at mainstream and given buckets to be sick in in front of the class, (he suffers with tourettes and has vomiting tics) I worked in the school at the time and was horrified at how they treated all SEN children not just my son) so took him out.

We are in the process of getting him a final statement of special educational needs and hope to get him into an ASD specialist school.

I dont think there is enough imformative teachers, lsa's or heads on ASD and because our children look normal they are expected to be treated as normal, which unfortunatly doesnt always work.

 

Sarah

[KarenT]

I was talking to a woman who has been through the nightmare of school with her 15 year old and he is now at home taking exams. She said that if my son becomes ill and depressed when he goes back to school then the best thing I could do for him was to take him to the doctor and get him signed off for 'emotional distress'' this was because I told her I feel almost cruel for sending him to school as the teachers and his class 'mates' bully him.

She said if this happened then it would help my case for getting him statemented as well.

Has anyone ever done this, and what happens when a child is signed off school?

 

I deregistered my son in October and was applying for statutory assessment around the same time. The week before I took him out he was off sick, with a note from the doctor giving the reason as 'extreme emotional distress'. I quoted this to the assessment panel but it made no difference whatsoever to their decision not to assess, as the school assured them that J was receiving adequate support (he had none at all) and that he was doing well, when in fact he'd regressed 18 months in five weeks. Having a GP on board can certainly add something to your armoury when you push your case for a statement but it's no guarantee.

 

Karen

x

[bid]

My son had a complete breakdown in year 10, and was formally signed off from school on mental health grounds by his GP and both his consultants...this is absolutely vital because without formal letters the LA have no legal obligation to do anything.

 

The Parent Partnership woman said I wouldn't get a Statement as he was too old.

 

I took no notice because I knew the only way he would get anything was if I went for it. The school applied, and the EP came and assessed him at home.

 

We were successful, and then it went to the panels for a residential special school placement at an out of county, independent AS specific school (Priory Group).

 

From him coming out of school to starting at the residesi school took 6 months. He did have two home tutors later on for maths and art for a few hours each week, but to begin with he was too ill.

 

We succeeded I believe because both his consultants went right out on a professional limb and wrote letters actually specifying why he needed a residesi school in extremely forceful terms. The LA EP also backed us 100% and was adament in meetings that he needed a Statement and residesi placement.

 

Just to clarify, my son was extremely ill with his breakdown, and had been self-harming within his mainstream school and at home, culminating in a serious episode. The EP described him at a meeting as 'no longer functioning as a learner'.

 

We also made it extremely clear that if another serious episode of self harm occured we would take legal action, as his fragile mental health condition had been spelled out to the LA by the professionals.

 

So we did manage it, BUT having said all this, I don't think Kathryn will mind if I say her daughter was going through a similar experience at the same time in the same LA, but her case was dealt with by a different quadrant team...and she got nothing

 

My top tips would be to get your child's consultant/s to write formally signing your child off school, explaining in very clear terms the impact on their mental health. Then you just have to chivvy and chase everyone to make sure everything has been posted at the right time, etc. Plus we tried very hard to work with the LA, and while we were assertive we were never rude, and I sent thank you cards to his SN Officer and the Out of County Placements Officer who found his school.

 

Good luck

 

Bid

Edited April 20, 2009 by bid

[Karen A]

Hi,

I was talking to a woman who has been through the nightmare of school with her 15 year old and he is now at home taking exams. She said that if my son becomes ill and depressed when he goes back to school then the best thing I could do for him was to take him to the doctor and get him signed off for 'emotional distress'' this was because I told her I feel almost cruel for sending him to school as the teachers and his class 'mates' bully him.

She said if this happened then it would help my case for getting him statemented as well.

Has anyone ever done this, and what happens when a child is signed off school?

Thanks,

Cx

 

Hi connieruff.Yes you can obtain a note from the doctor stating that your child is too unwell to be at school due to anxiety or other mental health reasons.However the GP would need to agree that is the case.If your child is unable to attend school due to anxiety or you decide that they are not able to cope it is best to obtain support from your GP.If you do not have a letter from the GP then school may well contact the EWO.The EWO may then pressure you to ensure school attendance which is not helpful.

 

If your child is not in school due to medical reasons including mental health issues then the LA have a responsiblity to make alternative arrangements after a certain number of half-day sesssions are missed.I think it is 15 but am not certain.The LA may arrange provision via home tuition or may provide a place at a pupil referal unit or unit specifically for children who are unwell.In the first instance they may arrange for work to be sent from school for your child.

 

Although having a child who it is agreed has mental health needs such as anxiety and is too unwell to be in school may help in obtaining a Statement it cannot be certain.

Also pupil referal units and tutoring provided by the LA are regarded as short term provision until a child is able to recover or long term provision is agreed.So it might be worth considering what you hope to achieve via a Statement.Are you hoping that a Statement will enable your child to cope at the current school with support or are you thinking that Specialist Provision may be needed.?

 

Our elder son [NT] was off school for a large proportion of his last term at primary school.J was bullied at school and developed anxiety and panic attacks.We recieved some support from a CAMHS psychologist.J had a few rough months during transition to secondary school but was very well supported at school action plus.

He is in year 8 now and no longer needs support because he has done really well.

 

If your child is finding school difficult due to bullying there is also action you can take independent of the Statementing process.School have a responsibility to investigate complaints about bullying.So it is woth documenting your concerns if you have not done so.Karen.

 

 

[Sally44]

I deregistered my son in October and was applying for statutory assessment around the same time. The week before I took him out he was off sick, with a note from the doctor giving the reason as 'extreme emotional distress'. I quoted this to the assessment panel but it made no difference whatsoever to their decision not to assess, as the school assured them that J was receiving adequate support (he had none at all) and that he was doing well, when in fact he'd regressed 18 months in five weeks. Having a GP on board can certainly add something to your armoury when you push your case for a statement but it's no guarantee.

 

Karen

x

 

Please don't give up. Make the school send you written evidence of everything they say they do in terms of support.

Also make sure all IEPs are SMART - get the Parent Partnership to always attend every IEP or other meeting to take notes. My son's school also said they were meeting his needs, but we could demonstrate through IEPs that he was losing skills and regressing. You also have a say in the IEP targets.

You can keep removing him and getting doctors notes. Keep up the pressure.

Have you involved the NAS and/or IPSEA?

You need evidence of needs in reports. You may need to write to professionals involved with your son (or not involved) and ask them to assess particular difficulties you believe your son has. It is difficult for them to ignore a written request. And if they do that is evidence in itself.

Does your child have a diagnosis?

[Sally44]

My son had a complete breakdown in year 10, and was formally signed off from school on mental health grounds by his GP and both his consultants...this is absolutely vital because without formal letters the LA have no legal obligation to do anything.

 

The Parent Partnership woman said I wouldn't get a Statement as he was too old.

 

I took no notice because I knew the only way he would get anything was if I went for it. The school applied, and the EP came and assessed him at home.

 

We were successful, and then it went to the panels for a residential special school placement at an out of county, independent AS specific school (Priory Group).

 

From him coming out of school to starting at the residesi school took 6 months. He did have two home tutors later on for maths and art for a few hours each week, but to begin with he was too ill.

 

We succeeded I believe because both his consultants went right out on a professional limb and wrote letters actually specifying why he needed a residesi school in extremely forceful terms. The LA EP also backed us 100% and was adament in meetings that he needed a Statement and residesi placement.

 

Just to clarify, my son was extremely ill with his breakdown, and had been self-harming within his mainstream school and at home, culminating in a serious episode. The EP described him at a meeting as 'no longer functioning as a learner'.

 

We also made it extremely clear that if another serious episode of self harm occured we would take legal action, as his fragile mental health condition had been spelled out to the LA by the professionals.

 

So we did manage it, BUT having said all this, I don't think Kathryn will mind if I say her daughter was going through a similar experience at the same time in the same LA, but her case was dealt with by a different quadrant team...and she got nothing

 

My top tips would be to get your child's consultant/s to write formally signing your child off school, explaining in very clear terms the impact on their mental health. Then you just have to chivvy and chase everyone to make sure everything has been posted at the right time, etc. Plus we tried very hard to work with the LA, and while we were assertive we were never rude, and I sent thank you cards to his SN Officer and the Out of County Placements Officer who found his school.

 

Good luck

 

Bid

 

Well done!

 

[Karen A]

http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eOrd...S-0025-2002.pdf

Hi.This is the DFES information regarding access to education for children with medical needs.

It outlines the what the LA need to provide for children and teenagers with medical needs which includes mental health needs.Karen.

[Karen A]

This link provides some excellent advice regarding what to do about bullying.It explains the various steps you could take with school.

http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/advice-about-educ...ng-bullying.htm

[bid]

http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eOrd...S-0025-2002.pdf

Hi.This is the DFES information regarding access to education for children with medical needs.

It outlines the what the LA need to provide for children and teenagers with medical needs which includes mental health needs.Karen.

 

I used this to chivvy the LA about the home tutors for my son.

 

All LAs should have a department called something like 'Hospital and Home Education', and the school has to refer your child to them for home tutoring. It worked very well for my son: the maths tutor had no previous experience of working with a child with an ASD, but was a very quiet and calm woman who was great with him. The art tutor did have previous experience and again was really good.

 

I did find that I had to chase everything up and double check that phone calls had been made/reports forwarded, etc, through the whole process. Aagain just to reiterate, your child won't be entitled to any home tutors unless he/she has been formally signed off school on health grounds.

 

Bid

Edited April 20, 2009 by bid

[Lisa40]

My daughter is 16 and has not been in school since last September. We have had no visits from the educational welfare - the school tried to get home schooling but she was not receptive to this and the LEA have done nothing, mainly because she was approaching 16 and I suppose that once she hit 16 she wasn't their responsibility anymore. I think the older the child is the less help they give as they could use the resources elsewhere. We had one home visit from the school when they tried to implement some back to school plans, which didn't work and we have had a further visit by Connexions to talk about what her options are now. Luckily the lady from Connexions is very helpful and has said that she won't give up, so 7 months after she stopped going to school I feel that I am very slowly getting somewhere, although she has missed all her GCSEs.

 

Don't know what area you are from, but South Derbyshire authority have been really unhelpful and my MP has sbeen useless.

[Sally44]

My daughter is 16 and has not been in school since last September. We have had no visits from the educational welfare - the school tried to get home schooling but she was not receptive to this and the LEA have done nothing, mainly because she was approaching 16 and I suppose that once she hit 16 she wasn't their responsibility anymore. I think the older the child is the less help they give as they could use the resources elsewhere. We had one home visit from the school when they tried to implement some back to school plans, which didn't work and we have had a further visit by Connexions to talk about what her options are now. Luckily the lady from Connexions is very helpful and has said that she won't give up, so 7 months after she stopped going to school I feel that I am very slowly getting somewhere, although she has missed all her GCSEs.

 

Don't know what area you are from, but South Derbyshire authority have been really unhelpful and my MP has sbeen useless.

 

I'm not sure i'm in exactly the same area as you, but I am somewhere in Derbyshire (Bob Laxton is my MP) - and I think they're all pretty much the same around here. I have heard that college is supposed to be alot better than school. But I don't know which ones they were talking about. And if she has a statement, statements can go post 16. I don't know your child's level of ability, but you say she missed her GCSE's so that indicates that she was at a level able to take them. Connections should be able to advice you on which colleges have experience of teaching those with ASDs. I hope you find something.

[Kathryn]

As Bid has said, we had a very similar experience to her - in fact she gave me a lot of advice at the time and helped us apply for statutory assessment. Our struggles are all documented on this forum on this board!

 

After half a term on a part time timetable which wasn't working I was successful in getting L signed off school with depression. As a result she had LA home tuition for a while, although she was too fragile to get much out of it.

 

the LEA have done nothing, mainly because she was approaching 16 and I suppose that once she hit 16 she wasn't their responsibility anymore. I think the older the child is the less help they give as they could use the resources elsewhere.

 

I totally agree. I experienced obstruction and delay throughout the whole year that I was applying for statutory assessment. We were refused twice for completely contradictory reasons each time. Eventually the process was started three weeks before her 16th birthday.: we got all the way through only to be refused a statement on the grounds that she was now too old and her needs weren't severe or long term enough. I believe the LA knew full well what they were doing and timed everything very csrefully so they could dump us out of the system. We pursued an appeal but dropped it as even if we had succeeded L would have been well over 17 and too old for the school we wanted. The LA even tried to get our appeal struck out on the grounds that she was no longer on the school roll so we were fighting all the way and would have continued to do so, but Connexions helped my daughter get a place on a learnimg disability programme at our local college, so there was no point in pursuing a statement further as it has no force in the further education sector.

 

If your child is in mid to late teens, the battle for specialist support is definitely harder and a lot of persistence is required, but as Bid's experience shows, success is possible.

 

Good luck

 

K x

 

[Mandapanda]

The school applied, and the EP came and assessed him at home.

 

We succeeded I believe because both his consultants went right out on a professional limb and wrote letters actually specifying why he needed a residesi school in extremely forceful terms. The LA EP also backed us 100% and was adament in meetings that he needed a Statement and residesi placement.

 

My top tips would be to get your child's consultant/s to write formally signing your child off school, explaining in very clear terms the impact on their mental health.

 

Bid

 

I have a son not attending school for almost a year due to severe anxiety and depression (see my thread School Phobia/Refusal). He has never seen the EP and no-one from school has ever come to the house. The EWO has been out once. My GP doesn't believe in Aspergers(!) and has never been willing to sign him off sick. We have never seen a Consultant. We see a Psychologist at CAMHS and had an assessment by the School Doctor. Would they be able to sign him off?

 

I was interested to see that the EP came out to assess your child at home as I didn't know if they could assess a child not at school. I suggested to the school yesterday that perhaps he should be assessed so that if/when he returns to school he gets the support he needs but there was just silence at the end of the phone! We're on the verge of being prosecuted. Should I pursue the statement pathway?

Edited April 22, 2009 by Mandapanda

[bid]

Bid

 

I have a son not attending school for almost a year due to severe anxiety and depression (see my thread School Phobia/Refusal). He has never seen the EP and no-one from school has ever come to the house. The EWO has been out once. My GP doesn't believe in Aspergers(!) and has never been willing to sign him off sick. We have never seen a Consultant. We see a Psychologist at CAMHS and had an assessment by the School Doctor. Would they be able to sign him off?

 

I was interested to see that the EP came out to assess your child at home as I didn't know if they could assess a child not at school. I suggested to the school yesterday that perhaps he should be assessed so that if/when he returns to school he gets the support he needs but there was just silence at the end of the phone! We're on the verge of being prosecuted. Should I pursue the statement pathway?

Hi Manda

 

If it was me, I would ask the CAMHS psychologist to write a letter formally explaining that your son is unfit for school due to anxiety/depression/mental health problems. Give a copy of this letter to your GP, the school, the LA and the EWO.

 

Then I would print off the government guidelines in this link below and take a copy to your LA, the school and the EWO and remind them that as your child is medically unfit for school they have a legal obligation to provide home tutoring.

 

http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eOrd...S-0025-2002.pdf

 

I would also phone your LA and ask for the EP department. Then explain everything to them and say you want to refer your son for an assessment and that you are happy for it to be done at home.

 

I had to really push and chase to get things to happen and to make sure people knew about my son's situation. You need to tell everyone that you are at crisis point.

 

Good luck <'>

 

Bid

Edited April 22, 2009 by bid

[Kathryn]

What Bid said.

 

Just to add, the LA EP also saw my daughter at home -twice- once as part of the statutory assessment process.

 

K x

[Mandapanda]

Thanks to Bid & Kathryn for replies.

 

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack topic. Maybe replies will help you too. I wish we had sought more help within school at an earlier time, rather than being in this position now. However, we had too many other problems to realise what was happening at the time. It looks to me like you need to find a sympathetic GP and apply for a statement. I know I need to do this - I just need to find some energy to do it!

 

Good luck to us !!!

[Lisa40]

I'm not sure i'm in exactly the same area as you, but I am somewhere in Derbyshire (Bob Laxton is my MP) - and I think they're all pretty much the same around here. I have heard that college is supposed to be alot better than school. But I don't know which ones they were talking about. And if she has a statement, statements can go post 16. I don't know your child's level of ability, but you say she missed her GCSE's so that indicates that she was at a level able to take them. Connections should be able to advice you on which colleges have experience of teaching those with ASDs. I hope you find something.

Mark Todd is our MP. It is a rather long winded situation we had. We noticed there was something wrong with her for years with anxiety and she had some learning disabilities in visual memory and visual attention. Primary school noticed she had spatial problems with writing, so they did an IQ test and she came out way above average, but her SATs were way below average so they were baffled. We were living down south at the time. We moved to Derbyshire and she has had a lot of problems settling here and when she started secondary school the problems really started. She would refuse to go in and just stand stiffly in the school grounds, she would refuse to co=operate by getting her equipment out, she always told me she had no homework, she would often ask to be excused from the lesson to go to the toilet and stay there to avoid lessons, she was also being bullied and would constantly fall out with people. I begged for assessments and was told by the educational psychologist that she was an indulged child and stricter structures should be put in place for her. She was also referred to CAMHS but the councillor there thought she was on the spectrum but the psychiatrist said that she wasn't. The school started to punish her for her behaviour by taking her out of class and putting her in isolation so we pulled her out of school and decided to try the independent route, which lasted 2 terms before we were asked to leave. She was bullied and retaliated and as she was struggling academically their league tables were suffering! We had a further 2 schools and finally found one in Derby City which she started midway through Year 10 but getting her to school was a nightmare and most time she just refused. During this period I also kept asking my GP for a private referral to a psychiatrist and after a year of seeing him we had a dx of AS, which is what I had suspected for some time as her natural father also has this. Luckily the psychiatrist we saw privately was also a psychiatrist at CAMHS in Derby City and we were referred back to CAMHS in South Derbyshire with his referral, which the psychiatrist accepted. R has refused to accept there is anything wrong with her and is in denial. She hasn't been in school since September and therefore hasn't done any course work towards GCSE's. Since September I have been begging for home tuition, which I knew we could get with CAMHS and doctor's help, but this was delayed and delayed until last month we got a call and to be honest, it isn't much help as she is due to leave school in July and won't be up to speed with her gcse work. Connexions are now involved and are looking at colleges with units that can help her gain GCSE's.

 

My advice to anyone is fight, fight, fight for what you are entitled to. Unfortunately, we got the dx a little too late, I didn't even know this forum existed and at that time I felt alone and didn't know where to turn to for help as you are constantly being fobbed off. The other main problem we have is R's denial of having a problem. She is a virtual recluse at home, won't go out, gets very anxious about everything that is not the norm, but is high functioning, articulate but also very immature in a lot of areas, so we have a mixed bag at the moment.