Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all, I have a question to any parents out there with a teenage autistic child. My 15 year old daughter is currently in the transition from mainstream to a specialise school due to her social emotional needs. She leaves next Friday but for the last few weeks every other day she will refuse to go into school for no apparent reason.
I understand she is anxious about leaving and starting a new school but I have to question is she being a typical teenager who doesn't want to go? I have taken away her phone and stopped her from going to after school club as a punishment for not going to school but does this make a difference? Should I even be punishing her or just accept that her refusal of school goes with the territory.
Would love to hear your opinions on this as the school aren't interested now because she is leaving shortly anyway
Might this be an opportunity for your new school to come up with a plan to gradually introduce her to the new environment, perhaps a few more intro visits and a plan put in place of how they/you build up moving towards fulltime school with them. I do think it worth speaking to the new school to devise a transition plan as clearly she is very stressed as the existing school is not for her. County will support you if she needs to move schools earlier so worth speaking to the new school about that.
Maybe worth setting up a meeting with her new keyworker and passing on information of what she likes, triggers etc.
Hang on in there as I know how hard this is and how totally exhausting it can be (I have two children with Autism, one is a school avoider) but there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel. Use the expertise of the new school to guide and support you.
Keep strong and breathe xx
Hi, Thank you for the reply, my daughter already does 2 vocational afternoons in the new school that she will be attending after the half term do she is familiar with the school.
My biggest fear is we have fought so hard to be heard from paediatrics/ senco and local authorities that mainstream weren't meeting my daughter's needs because she only has a meltdown at home ( either before or after school) what if the school don't see what we see? What if she doesn't want to go full stop?