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desperate...school....pls advise xxx

smileforlife

i wont go in to it all, its too long, but heres the jist of it.....

son age 9 'max' . was at mainstream, unsettled for months. got worse. school in special measures. every 2 days max is excuded for 2.5 days. the day hes back hes home again in a few hrs on exclusion again.

all down legal route now, documented exclusions etc. every time hes excluded im called to collect him, i dont drive. my dad was driving me. dads got to ill over it. cant take me anymore. i dont drive. max gets transport to school through the council due to him running infront of busses etc.  dad can no longer take me for max. we will have to walk. i cant do this. he doesnt see danger..school 2 miles away on foot. when they ring me i have to calm him when im there, usually takes a few minutes, as you will all know. the last time i had to restrain him, i dont know how, never had to do it . well not since he was about 3. i couldnt move for a week from the pain in my body from the restraining.

i now refude to send him back on the grounds that i cant collect him, my dad cant. hos transport cant as he wont go with them anyway as you know on a melt down, only with mum etc. mum to calm him.   they school told me if i refuse to collect him again they will call the police to go for him and bring him home during his asd meltdown. this was the last straw for me. he would be terrified.

so now im applying to all spoecial schools i can, emailed them and explained. the lady at kids has being great, but she doesnt know where i stand on this either.

basicly i have letters off school saying they cant meet his needs.....they wont set up another annual review as i was too ill for the last one adn they think its an excuse. that could be another month away. the education welfare is telling me i have to send him, even tho im saying i cant pick him up during melt down. they have no answer for me, noone does?

so now its me, my boy, our house and lots of boredum for him.

weve had education psychologists round, school senco, etc all to try and 'get him back in' now they want 3 day time table. i dont agree as i will still have to go for him when hes on a meltdown and feel the force of it. yes im his mum and i will do anything forhim, but when i dont have to restrain in my own home, i shouldnt have to in school, then not be able to move for a week, and need to baby looked after for a week whilst i recover. so twice a week im called to ' restrain' so ine refused point blank. they say im not cooperating or being positive, how can i?

please what do i do, can i keep him here until hes somewhere else? he cant cope in mainstream. ive called him in sick, as he is actually awaiting a appointment with mental health. if hes called in sick it doesnt go down as me just 'keeping him off' as they call it. or i get a £60 fine for each month he isnt there, as the ed welfare said school is going to ty to prossecute me. im so stressed, i dont know where i stand legally?

thankyou, this was meant to be short, but i have so much going on.

thankyou for your time everyone xxx

  • I've just seen the original post was 8 years ago, but just a word about "Education Welfare" .  When I was an EWO most authorities had highly qualified EWOs, many of whom were qualified as social workers, counsellors etc.  Then came the cuts. In many authorities, the Attendance Officers now have the same qualification as a basic level TA. Often they just hand out Fixed Penalty Notices because they are told to.  Some schools issue FPNs without understanding the law, which is complicated. Paying an FPN means you admit an offence - failing to ensure the attendance of a pupil contrary to s.444 Education Act 1996. If the school is involved in illegal exclusions, fails to comply with EHCP, etc. talk to a lawyer ... there is a good chance that you have a statutory excuse.

    If the school is behaving in this way, it's time to GET A LAWYER!

  • My daughter was self harming when she started high school. I kept her off, she is still at home. School threatened me with prosecution. The consultant who diagnosed her with ASD wrote a letter signing her off of school as an 'anxious school refuser'. She has also been given funding for 5 hours a week home tutor on medical grounds while we wait for her statement.

     You do have the legal right to remove your child from the school roll, this would mean he was no longer classed as absent(a big step you may not want to rush into).

     Intenseworld has given me much valuable advice on here, so I would defo follow up on the links.

     

  • Firstly, if the school are sending him home, the council taxi should be called to collect him from school, you shouldn't have to make arrangements to collect him, even if it means allowing you to be collected to be his escort for his safety (and the driver's).  Speak to your council over this.

    Secondly, unofficial exclusions are illegal: http://www.autism.org.uk/our-services/advice-and-information-services/school-exclusions-service.aspx

    In law the school has to meet his needs - however, as they are in special measures do you really want to send him there?  You can appeal to the admissions department for a transfer and the circumstances you describe are very good grounds.

    These are the school codes for absence, and they have to use the correct one: http://www.deni.gov.uk/circular_2013_13_-__attendance_guidance__english_version__-_effective_from_september_13.pdf (you can inform them in case they are misusing codes).

    You could also contact your local MP (a quick Google will find out who that is) to ask for intervention.  Getting official help often makes them play ball.

    Does he have a statement of SENs?  You can apply yourself here: https://www.gov.uk/apply-special-educational-needs-assessment

    I would also urgently contact IPSEA to get their advice, they can provide an advocate who can assist you: www.ipsea.org.uk

    Also have you contacted your local Parent Partnership as they can liaise with the school and assist with meetings and letters and advice: http://www.parentpartnership.org.uk/find-your-pps