School refusal

[wasuup]

Can anyone update me on what the situation is at present with this as since my daughter last school refused the EWO's in our area have been dissolved and the funding given to schools to employ there own attendance officers?

 

Basically my daughter has a diagnosis from relevant professionals and interventions and learning support were recommended by the EP. The school is refusing/has difficulty understanding what my daughter needs are and have now refused to apply for additional funding after initially agreeing. This was 6 months ago. Since being misled and messed about has happened over this period of time my daughter has once again had difficulties at school through her needs not being met and now she is for one reason and another school refusing.

 

The headmaster is being less than helpful and has made it clear that my daughter is no longer welcome at his school.

Last time my daughter was school refusing I went to the GP and asked for a letter to say why. Perhaps because he was not familiar with the system he told me that she did not need this and the EWO would be understanding and would sort it out. The EWO were not understanding or helpful.

 

I have since moved house and GP's and this one has been understanding and has written a letter to whom it may concern about my daughters current absence.

 

This new headmaster apart from denying my daughters diagnosis he has now also he says spoken to social services about the situation.

 

What is likely to happen next? Is there anything I need to do or should be doing at all? The professionals who diagnosed and the EP all stand by their original opinions and advice.

 

[JsMum]

 

 

The Headtecher is not a medical proffesional and cant dx or undx a child with AS so dont worry too much of his opinion as that is all it is, and there may be underlying reasons why he has this apauling attitude.

 

You could write a letter of complaint to the Headteacher and request urgent support.

 

As you have a supporting evidence from her GP and her DX the school have to meet her needs, failing this you can then complain, so do complain.

 

You could write to the SEN Local Authority Council department and express your current situation and what you would like your daughter to recieve.

 

Call IPSEA, and NAS for further support and more proffessional advice.

 

My son hardly attended in year 6 but thankfully we had a supportive HT, and did use a lot of stratagies to try and get my son into school, in the end it wasnt what support he required, but more the type of enviroement he needed and mainstream setting just caused my son too much anxiety to attend school, now in a special school his enviroement is much improved.

 

I think a complaint letter to the HT and SEN LA department is required here and a copy of the letter sent to all those who have been involved with her dx and care.

 

Good Luck with getting this sorted out, been there too, it is very upsetting, but this is one mans opinion, so dont let him win.

 

<'> <'> <'>

 

JsMumxxxx

 

[Kathryn]

I think it's important that you put your concerns in writing to the HT with a copy to the governors. Describe your daughter's difficulties, mention the EP recommendations and ask what the school intends to do to meet her needs.

 

Dare I also mention the words Statutory Assessment? I think you are going through this with your son , so you know what's involved. Putting in a request may be the only way to get the HT to take your daughter's needs seriously.

 

K x

[wasuup]

Thank you JsMum and Kathryn.

 

As an aside topic the headmaster told our daughter that "I don't give a monkeys what your parents think" when telling her that she had to take part in the school play. I'd never thought before that she may be on the spectrum (current diagnosis social anxiety and selective mutism) but she thought that meant that the headmaster gave parents pet monkeys and he wasn't going to give us one. She is funny about smells, clothes, noise, crowds and being watched and prefers to play with younger children than her peer group and hates PE.

 

Anyway he is not interested in making reasonable adjustments. I wrote to the Chair of Governors and am just finishing of my parental advice form for a statutory request.

 

Completely zonked now but at least all this work keeps me out of trouble!

 

 

[trekster]

Good luck in getting the school to take you seriously. i was forced out of my 1st college post diagnosis but found Bristol to be much better.

 

Alexis

[julie1]

I think it's important that you put your concerns in writing to the HT with a copy to the governors. Describe your daughter's difficulties, mention the EP recommendations and ask what the school intends to do to meet her needs.

 

Dare I also mention the words Statutory Assessment? I think you are going through this with your son , so you know what's involved. Putting in a request may be the only way to get the HT to take your daughter's needs seriously.

 

K x

just a quick question sorry as its not my post but it seems relvent. Iam trying to send copys of all letters sent to the head of my dd2 school, to our school SEN governer. Only i was told yesterday by the SENCO that she is a friend of hers and a teacher at the school. Now i wonder if its worth the bother, will she respond if they are friends or just not reply like the head of the school.

[shaz71]

just a quick question sorry as its not my post but it seems relvent. Iam trying to send copys of all letters sent to the head of my dd2 school, to our school SEN governer. Only i was told yesterday by the SENCO that she is a friend of hers and a teacher at the school. Now i wonder if its worth the bother, will she respond if they are friends or just not reply like the head of the school.

 

Hi wassup, that is awful all you want is the best for your child but yet they are fighting you and most probably like most cases as it will cost money, it is ridiculous what happened to every child matters that they are supposed to have brought in or was that before the credit crunch!!!!!! But what they don't realise is if they don't put there money there now to support these children who have learning difficulties/disabilities they will end up on the mental health system or in prison and will cost them more money in the end????? It is the numptys in charge that don't look at the whole picture ok not all will some children end up making their own compensations for their difficulties but probably do have anxiety attacks or bouts of depression. You stick to your guns, let social services involved as it may help your case has you are doing it for your child as you know her best. Good for you. Keep strong. Sharon x

[Karen A]

Hi wasuup.

I agree with Kathryn.

I think your only remaining option may be to request a Statutory Assessment.

That may be the only way to push the LA to look in detail at your child's needs.

Even without an ASD dx selective mutism and social anxiety are recognised diagnosis so there is no excuse for the HT ignoring them .

Ben is now at secondary school and is doing very well with little TA support because enough of the staff understand his needs.

At primary school we spent three years attempting to obtain appropriate support for Ben.

The HT was unhelpful and had little awareness regarding ASD.

Even when we obtained a Statement it made little difference.We just spent vast amounts of time and energy pushing the HT to use the support documented in supporting Ben.

My husband and myself were talking just the other day.We now wish we had moved Ben when we obtained the Statement.

 

So it may be worth considering a change of school.

However it would be far more helpful to have provision documented in a Statement when considering alternatives.

 

It sounds like bad news if EWO budgets are being delegated to schools.

The service was not perfect.I was shocked when I read a local job advert for EWO and discovered what few qualifications or experience were needed.

However at least previously if schools were unhelpful there was hope that someone within the LA might be interested.

If schools are able to employ attendance officers who are managed by the HT and to administer penalties for parents who do not enforce attendance there is little protection for parents where children have medical or mental health needs that are not understood.

 

Edited to say.

I don't know what stage you are at regarding requesting an assessment by a team that can diagnose ASD.

If your child has had input from a SALT with little experience of ASD and has selective mutism I think it would be worth requesting a referral to the specialist team within your area who do the diagnostic assessments for ASD.

I can make a calculated guess that to diagnose ASD in a child who has selective mutism would be a highly specialist job.

A friend of mine had a daughter with Selective Mutism.I could imagine that Selective Mutism could easily mask the more obvious features of ASD which may not be picked up by a SALT who is not an ASD specialist.

You would not need the agreement of the school for a referral to a specialist team.You can talk to your GP.

If your daughter is currently not in school due to social anxiety and has a diagnosis of selective mutism and you now have documented authorisation from your GP you can also request that the LA provide alternative provision after a certain number of days.[i think it is 10 or 15 I need to write it down as I always have to check ].

 

Have checked it is 15 days.

The full document regarding pupils unable to access education due to medical needs is on this link.

http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/eOrderingD...S-0732-2001.pdf

The LA will have an officer other than an EWO with responsibility for making arrangements which might be home tutoring.The LA officer is more likely to have awareness of issues around social anxiety and to be supportive.

Karen.

Edited December 1, 2009 by Karen A

[JsMum]

Thank you JsMum and Kathryn.

 

As an aside topic the headmaster told our daughter that "I don't give a monkeys what your parents think" when telling her that she had to take part in the school play. I'd never thought before that she may be on the spectrum (current diagnosis social anxiety and selective mutism) but she thought that meant that the headmaster gave parents pet monkeys and he wasn't going to give us one. She is funny about smells, clothes, noise, crowds and being watched and prefers to play with younger children than her peer group and hates PE.

 

Anyway he is not interested in making reasonable adjustments. I wrote to the Chair of Governors and am just finishing of my parental advice form for a statutory request.

 

Completely zonked now but at least all this work keeps me out of trouble!

 

 

Hi this HTs statements are really out of order, of course your Daughter is going to take his stamtements literally, and a school play for a child with significant anxieties will cause her to become very unwell, you already have the backing of a gp why is he ignoring medical opinion.

 

I would be very tempted to remove her from this school, even with a statment Id worry they would impliment it.

 

Talk to the SEN Department to see what other school where Autism is recognised and if a statement could be implimented within the new school, im sorry but I would have very little trust in this mans ability to meet my sons needs.

 

JsMumxxx

 

[wasuup]

Thanks again to everyone for all the support and information. You are all fantastic!!

 

 

My 5 year old is so different to his sister he was reading before he was 3, always wants to be first, wants to open automatic doors himself, has to finish what he has started, difficult to have a conversation with and has soiling difficulties. Just tends to follow a understanding very mature for his age friend around in the playground. The main problem with my daughter apart from the sensory issues in terms of behaviour is that she doesn't like to be hurried and does things in her own time. The GP has referred her to the paediatrician so will see what he says.

[wasuup]

just a quick question sorry as its not my post but it seems relvent. Iam trying to send copys of all letters sent to the head of my dd2 school, to our school SEN governer. Only i was told yesterday by the SENCO that she is a friend of hers and a teacher at the school. Now i wonder if its worth the bother, will she respond if they are friends or just not reply like the head of the school.

 

 

Could you find out who your Head of Governors is and ask them what they think? I suspect my problem is identical to yours I have copied my MP into the complaint and if I get no response after 15 days I am complaining to the LA and the Head of Govorners. I sent the complaint via the Head of Governors to the Chair.

[Kathryn]

just a quick question sorry as its not my post but it seems relvent. Iam trying to send copys of all letters sent to the head of my dd2 school, to our school SEN governer. Only i was told yesterday by the SENCO that she is a friend of hers and a teacher at the school. Now i wonder if its worth the bother, will she respond if they are friends or just not reply like the head of the school.

 

I would send them to the Chair of Governors - no particular reason why you have to involve the SEN governor.

 

K x

[parentsofdisabledchildren]

Hi,

Sorry to hear of your troubles.

Schooling is an issue for all children with any form of special needs.

I simply find it amazing that the education system is set up to make things harder.

Ive heard numerous stories one of which was the parent wanted to move the child from mainstream into a special school but because the school did not agree they called social services.

 

We are also undergoing a battle with the education authority right now because of funding as the school we want to send our son to is over the road from us but comes under another council...so this has made it harder but we are currently fighting this.

 

Have you tried your local parent partnership as they should be able to advise on this for you?

[wasuup]

Hi and Thankyou. Yes parent partnership are so involved I even know exactly how they like their tea and what their fav biscuits are when they come around.

[wasuup]

Hi wasuup.

I agree with Kathryn.

I think your only remaining option may be to request a Statutory Assessment.

That may be the only way to push the LA to look in detail at your child's needs.

Even without an ASD dx selective mutism and social anxiety are recognised diagnosis so there is no excuse for the HT ignoring them .

Ben is now at secondary school and is doing very well with little TA support because enough of the staff understand his needs.

At primary school we spent three years attempting to obtain appropriate support for Ben.

The HT was unhelpful and had little awareness regarding ASD.

Even when we obtained a Statement it made little difference.We just spent vast amounts of time and energy pushing the HT to use the support documented in supporting Ben.

My husband and myself were talking just the other day.We now wish we had moved Ben when we obtained the Statement.

 

So it may be worth considering a change of school.

However it would be far more helpful to have provision documented in a Statement when considering alternatives.

 

It sounds like bad news if EWO budgets are being delegated to schools.

The service was not perfect.I was shocked when I read a local job advert for EWO and discovered what few qualifications or experience were needed.

However at least previously if schools were unhelpful there was hope that someone within the LA might be interested.

If schools are able to employ attendance officers who are managed by the HT and to administer penalties for parents who do not enforce attendance there is little protection for parents where children have medical or mental health needs that are not understood.

 

Edited to say.

I don't know what stage you are at regarding requesting an assessment by a team that can diagnose ASD.

If your child has had input from a SALT with little experience of ASD and has selective mutism I think it would be worth requesting a referral to the specialist team within your area who do the diagnostic assessments for ASD.

I can make a calculated guess that to diagnose ASD in a child who has selective mutism would be a highly specialist job.

A friend of mine had a daughter with Selective Mutism.I could imagine that Selective Mutism could easily mask the more obvious features of ASD which may not be picked up by a SALT who is not an ASD specialist.

You would not need the agreement of the school for a referral to a specialist team.You can talk to your GP.

If your daughter is currently not in school due to social anxiety and has a diagnosis of selective mutism and you now have documented authorisation from your GP you can also request that the LA provide alternative provision after a certain number of days.[i think it is 10 or 15 I need to write it down as I always have to check ].

 

Have checked it is 15 days.

The full document regarding pupils unable to access education due to medical needs is on this link.

http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/eOrderingD...S-0732-2001.pdf

The LA will have an officer other than an EWO with responsibility for making arrangements which might be home tutoring.The LA officer is more likely to have awareness of issues around social anxiety and to be supportive.

Karen.

 

 

I understand what you are saying about no point staying where you are not wanted. It sounds like you have been through the mill too!

My daughter is in year 6 and finds any change difficult. This is her transition year too which would make it harder. I am thinking about deregistering her until September. Does anyone know if that would affect her getting a place at secondary school? Could I still put in for the statutory assessment process?

I have looked at the LEA's provision for pupils unable to access education due to medical needs. It seems that a child would have to have been recommended by the school to the service with aims to reintergrating them after a maximum of 2 terms into school. Which would seem a little pointless in the light of recent events. We would also need a letter from a clinical psychologist or paed service to back this need up.

Not sure off the legalities of that but that is how it is. I just emailed the officer who deals in this area to see what he says would happen in my daughters situation were the schools communication had broken down with us.

[Kathryn]

My daughter is in year 6 and finds any change difficult. This is her transition year too which would make it harder. I am thinking about deregistering her until September. Does anyone know if that would affect her getting a place at secondary school? Could I still put in for the statutory assessment process?

 

I think it's better not to deregister your daughter if you are starting the statementing process and want her to remain within the system, or the LA are likely to say that because you have chosen to home educate her, they no longer have any responsibility for her. You may then find it harder to get her back into the system with the right support.

 

If you can, it's better keep her on the school roll and get the GP or the Paed to provide a letter to say that she cannot attend school due to stress. If she is off school for medical reasons the LA will be obliged to provide a home tutor as well.

 

K x

[Sally44]

I agree with above post.

There are a number of parents who out of despair have removed their child from school and de-registered them, only to find that they are not a priority when they try to reintroduce their child back into the schooling system. And from the LEAs point of view they are saving money with any child that is removed from the system and is home educated because they are no longer responsible to provide the level of support or professional input that that child would need in a school environment.

 

[wasuup]

Thanks again you guys help keep me strong x

[wasuup]

Hi wasuup.

I agree with Kathryn.

I think your only remaining option may be to request a Statutory Assessment.

That may be the only way to push the LA to look in detail at your child's needs.

Even without an ASD dx selective mutism and social anxiety are recognised diagnosis so there is no excuse for the HT ignoring them .

Ben is now at secondary school and is doing very well with little TA support because enough of the staff understand his needs.

At primary school we spent three years attempting to obtain appropriate support for Ben.

The HT was unhelpful and had little awareness regarding ASD.

Even when we obtained a Statement it made little difference.We just spent vast amounts of time and energy pushing the HT to use the support documented in supporting Ben.

My husband and myself were talking just the other day.We now wish we had moved Ben when we obtained the Statement.

 

So it may be worth considering a change of school.

However it would be far more helpful to have provision documented in a Statement when considering alternatives.

 

It sounds like bad news if EWO budgets are being delegated to schools.

The service was not perfect.I was shocked when I read a local job advert for EWO and discovered what few qualifications or experience were needed.

However at least previously if schools were unhelpful there was hope that someone within the LA might be interested.

If schools are able to employ attendance officers who are managed by the HT and to administer penalties for parents who do not enforce attendance there is little protection for parents where children have medical or mental health needs that are not understood.

 

Edited to say.

I don't know what stage you are at regarding requesting an assessment by a team that can diagnose ASD.

If your child has had input from a SALT with little experience of ASD and has selective mutism I think it would be worth requesting a referral to the specialist team within your area who do the diagnostic assessments for ASD.

I can make a calculated guess that to diagnose ASD in a child who has selective mutism would be a highly specialist job.

A friend of mine had a daughter with Selective Mutism.I could imagine that Selective Mutism could easily mask the more obvious features of ASD which may not be picked up by a SALT who is not an ASD specialist.

You would not need the agreement of the school for a referral to a specialist team.You can talk to your GP.

If your daughter is currently not in school due to social anxiety and has a diagnosis of selective mutism and you now have documented authorisation from your GP you can also request that the LA provide alternative provision after a certain number of days.[i think it is 10 or 15 I need to write it down as I always have to check ].

 

Have checked it is 15 days.

The full document regarding pupils unable to access education due to medical needs is on this link.

http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/eOrderingD...S-0732-2001.pdf

The LA will have an officer other than an EWO with responsibility for making arrangements which might be home tutoring.The LA officer is more likely to have awareness of issues around social anxiety and to be supportive.

Karen.

 

 

Asked the parent partnership about this and she didn't know she thought perhaps the school was meant to provide to work and offered to contact them. I declined that offer becaiuse the only lesson school were teaching was geared to the school performance including learning to sing and dance to pop bands such as Black eyed peas.

 

 

For example: Tonight’s the night night

Let’s live it up

I got my money

Let’s spend it up

go out and smash it

like oh my god

Jump off that sofa

Let’s get get up

 

 

 

I know that we’ll have a ball

if we get down

and go out

and just lose it all

 

I feel stressed out

I wanna let it go

Lets go way out spaced out

and losing all control

 

Fill up my cup

Mazeltov

Look at her dancing

just take it off

Lets paint the town

We’ll shut it down

Let’s burn the roof

and then we’ll do it again

 

The LEA don't sseem particularly willing to actively sort this education issue either.

 

 

[Sally44]

If you ask for an assessment towards a Statement then everyone has to see your daughter and make reports. What is put in those reports is going to be useful regarding what supports she needs and what placement is suitable.

You don't have anything to lose by requesting one.

[wasuup]

If you ask for an assessment towards a Statement then everyone has to see your daughter and make reports. What is put in those reports is going to be useful regarding what supports she needs and what placement is suitable.

You don't have anything to lose by requesting one.

 

 

Today I have received a letter from the LEA saying they will formally assess my daughter! Its confusing as to why they have agreed to assess my daughter yet have refused to assess my son. Anyway more hopeful news before Christmas too!

Best wishes to everyone xxx

[Kathryn]

Well that's good news wasuup, and just before Christmas too. I hope it sets the pattern for the coming year.

 

Happy Christmas to you.

 

K x

[trekster]

Today I have received a letter from the LEA saying they will formally assess my daughter! Its confusing as to why they have agreed to assess my daughter yet have refused to assess my son. Anyway more hopeful news before Christmas too!

Best wishes to everyone xxx

 

Pleased to hear your daughter is getting assessed. Hope you can get your son assessed soon as well. Wondering if you could take your son with your daughter to the assessment and have him in the background? They might take notice of him and suggest he gets assessed?

 

Alexis

[wasuup]

Pleased to hear your daughter is getting assessed. Hope you can get your son assessed soon as well. Wondering if you could take your son with your daughter to the assessment and have him in the background? They might take notice of him and suggest he gets assessed?

 

Alexis

 

Thanks Alexis. CAMHS are going to assess my son for ASD as well so the LEA won't have much of a leg to stand on with refusing to assess him if theu still want to go tribunal. Hopefully should have a more productive year in terms of getting somewhere with all of this. xxx

 

[wasuup]

Well that's good news wasuup, and just before Christmas too. I hope it sets the pattern for the coming year.

 

Happy Christmas to you.

 

K x

 

Thanks Kathryn. Hipe you had a happy christmas too!