Son stopped going to school 2nd time

[Known]

My son did a term at a private school when he was in year 7 but stopped going after a term. Obtained a statement of special educational needs with 14 hours specialised teacher support and 15 hours LSA support. Transition to a mainstream school was made at the end of year 8. The first 2 terms in school went very well but as soon as the transition to GCSE options after the half term during summer term was made, he started regressing and withdrawing. There was a controlled assessment in English done last term which he found very difficult (the book which is now torn). During the summer holidays he was still withdrawn but managed to go out to buy uniform, went to school the first day of term in September and then stopped altogether afterwards. He keeps blaming his situation due to what happened in the past and is unable to move forwards. He is refusing to attend any schools (reasons unknown to us). He feels he can do better by being tutored at home and that he is unable to get the education at school.

 

I need advice and guidance if anyone has experience in how they moved things forward. My son has a diagnosis of high functioning autism which he is in denial and not accepting it. My son is refusing to engage with all the professionals medically and schoolwise. He is happy to talk to people/engage with other people.

[Catwoman]

Hello,

I was going to say that I am in the same position with my daughter, but I think you have replied to my thread, so you probably know. I feel that it is very difficult to get anyone to understand how your child feels when they refuse to go to school or college, not because they hate the actual lessons, but that they are fearful of the whole process.

 

It is also hard for us as parents to find any help. I am at a loss about who to turn to. I am about to spend the morning trying to get help so that my daughter will attend college this week. It is so much harder when they are much bigger than you, so lumping them into the car to get them there is not an option either!!

 

I hope that you have had some luck since your post. Please let me know.

[Sally44]

It is very hard if he is refusing to engage with people.

 

Due to his school refusal I would advise that you get a referal to Clinical Psychology via your GP. This is to cover yourselves incase the educational welfare officer becomes involved. I also think he may have depression and that needs to be assessed.

 

There are ASD specific independent schools which do have children that take GCSEs. But you would need an Educational Tribunal to agree he should be placed there. We had two tribunals, we lost the first and won the second. And after we lost the first one it was awful, but we had a couple of years of him slowly deteriorating, developing an anxiety disorder and then OCD and being out of school for a year. But that deterioration is what allowed us to win the second tribunal. So you do have to follow the SEN process.

 

What do you think has caused the deterioration. Does he understand what is expected of him in class. I'm asking this because alot of learning nowadays is 'self directed' which is very hard for someone with an ASD because they lack imagination and inference and comprehension, so how can they work out what to learn and how to learn it. Previously education was given by the teacher and the kids just wrote it down and remembered it. Far easier for an ASD child.

 

What KS level is he at?

 

He may not be able to communicate exactly how he feels or what is making him feel bad. That is all part of an ASD the difficulty with emotional literacy. But the point is that someone should be working with him on that.

 

You can educate at home if you feel that is the right way to go. I think it is even possible from him to attend a reduced timetable in school and also home ed some subjects.

 

The thing is that really he needs therapeutic sessions with speech and language therapists etc and he won't get that if you take him off the school register and home educate completely yourself. Unless you pay for private SALT, EP and OT if needed.

 

Have you looked and found any ASD independent schools in your area that you could go and visit and your son could try for a trial period. My son was out of school for about a year, and now goes to a SENAD school which is for children with ASD and speech and language disorders. My son also has severe dyslexia and a sensory processing disorder. He is average cognitive ability, but I don't know what exams he will take when old enough.

 

And as you've already said, it is so much easier if you have them in a school they are willing to attend, because you cannot carry a teenager into school. And you should not have to. If the child is refusing to such an extent the placement is wrong.

Edited March 4, 2013 by Sally44