Refusing to go to school

Hi NAS85823,

Sorry to hear your daughter is struggling with school attendance. My daughter's been struggling with school attendance for almost the last 3 years, she's 15 now so started at a similar age. She was having problems in junior school but the refusal only started when moving into secondary school, struggling socially, not having any friends and started suffering from anxiety and panic attacks.

Despite asking her school for help we just seemed to be threatened for breaking the law, as you say you can't drag them in kicking and screaming, and besides the whole experience of just trying to encourage her into school, it was making her extremely distressed and depressed.

The first thing we did when was to see our GP to write a letter to explain why she was having problems going in (severe anxiety) and a referral to CAMHS to get the school off our backs.

Then the next battle started trying to get the inclusion service to help us get her some alternative provision/education as she was missing so much. I got in touch with IPSEA and was told to mention Section 19 of the Education act which the inclusion office, but they said didn't apply to my daughter as she was not signed off school. This went on for 12 months with no education at all, and I took a complaint to the Ombudsman for failing to provide her with an alternative education - the outcome being financial compensation for the year she had missed and made to provide an alternative provision which has been consisting of a teacher coming out to provide 1-2-1 teaching at home a few days each week.

Two long time scale attempts were made by a local youth support service to get her back into school but both attempts failed.

We applied for an education health care needs assessment which was refused, had to appeal through tribunal, hearing didn't happen as the LA backed down just before it, and the assessment carried out.

All recommendations given by the educational psychologist would only work if she was in school and as she wouldn't go in, waste of time.

Now in a position of attending another tribunal appeal for refusal to issue EHCP in a few weeks but had some luck getting a positive ASD diagnosis last month from an assessment CAMHS had requested two years ago.

Problem we will face if we do get the EHCP is finding a school that she would be willing to go to as she's lost so much faith in the education system. May well end up having to request 'EOTAS' from the LA if all else fails, both my wife and I have to work so no chance of arranging home schooling.

We are getting some help from the LA now who are helping her social aspect as she never sees any other children her age. We have tried taking her to local groups of other autistic children at the weekend but she refuses to go as she feels she won't get on with them.

Oh well, you have to just keep trying and do your best, the main thing is she's very happy at home!

I love this bit..........................Oh well, you have to just keep trying and do your best, the main thing is she's very happy at home!

Your daughter is very happy at home. Dont underestimate this. She more likely thrive in life despite mussing school x

I love this bit..........................Oh well, you have to just keep trying and do your best, the main thing is she's very happy at home!

Your daughter is very happy at home. Dont underestimate this. She more likely thrive in life despite mussing school x

Thank you Tulip52 for your kind words, happiness is all we strive for because it makes everything else so much easier!