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Noskcaj86

School more worried about sill things than ASD

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Soooo, Jack's school are worrying me a bit, we have had a letter from the council saying his attendance is low, at 85%. And that it is not acceptable. He has had 21 authorised absences in 5 months and NO unauthorised absences. All the days he has missed have been either due to hospital appointments or when SCHOOL have sent him home with "diarrhoea" and said to keep him home for 48 hours... each time hes been perfectly well! He doesnt legally need to be in school until age 5, and as all his absensces are explainable and authorised by the school im very annoyed that such a big deal is being made about it. Why is so little being done to help him with his learning delays but so much time and effort spent on informing me of his attendance. Maybe more time and effort needs to be on the important issues, such as his 2 year delays and likely ASD diagnosis. And hurrying up the ed psych assessment hes been waiting since october for...

 

USELESS SCHOOL!!!

 

HAD ENOUGH!

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Can you contact the council and say exactly what you have said here, in terms of the fact that the absences have all been authorised and have been for good reason? Are they talking about some kind of sanction due to low attendance? If so, this may be an opportunity to chase up the Educational Psychologist providing evidence that due to lack of proper support your little boy is being sent home from school etc.

 

It sounds very frustrating especially as you are doing everything that is within your power to do. I would phone up the council then follow up with a letter to the person you speak to.

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Don't blame the school - they have no discretion on this. They are required to report absence levels. A letter from the council is pretty much normal if the attendance drops below 85% - and you can expect to be summoned to see the Education Welfare Officer.

 

We had exactly this with our son. We had one meeting with the EWO who was a nice lady but totally out of her depth talking about ASD and that was that.Make sure your GP is on side, and make sure you do take him to see the doctor if he is off school for 5 days or more.

 

If they get stroppy you could start shouting about the equality act - but probably not worth the trouble.

 

BTW next time the school send him home with diarrhoea why not take him straight round to the GP for a second opinion.

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I would send in a letter to the LA, and copy it into the school. Just say that you are aware of his attendence level and that this is due to authorised hospital appointments or 2 day absences which are school policy, every time your son has had a toiletting problem.

 

However, I would advise that you do get a referal to a consultant about the diarrhoea that is causing him to miss school. Because you may need them, at some stage, to put in writing that his absences are due to his diagnosis or some other physical problem. Because the EWO can become involved due to low attendance. So you need to start the 'evidence' gathering now.

 

Also his toiletting is going to be a major issue on his Statement. Again you need a consultants advice on that.

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I e-mailed the lady from the council who sent the letter. She had spoken to the head teacher at my sons school and had NO IDEA of his ASD referral or toileting issues! Great one school, well done for passing on important information!!! I will say it again, USELESS SCHOOL! Once informed of my sons issues and reasons for abseces the lady from the council was very understanding in her reply to my e-mail and was going to get back in touch with the head teacher! FRUSTRATED!

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Put your email on file.

Was her response in a letter or telephone call. If a telephone call, send a 'clarification' email back to her of what was discussed ie. what you told her, and what the school had not told them etc. And file it in a folder. You will need to gather all these types of correspondence as evidence for the future.

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