Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all,
My daughter has Autism and is at a private, full-boarding school. Within the last 5 weeks she had a mental health crisis and was sent home. Since then she has only been given very limited access to the school and her friends. She was not allowed to go on a school trip to Alton Towers because she could not be properly supervised. We have learnt that certain people who have a prominent role in her pastoral care believe that "Autistic children should not attend full-boarding schools" and we have now been summoned to a meeting with the Headmistress where we believe it will be confirmed that she will be permanently exlcuded from the school at the end of this term.
Since her mental health crisis, my daughter has been assessed by CAMHS crisis team, a consultant psychiatrist and begun therapy at a specialist centre dealing with teenage and adolescent mental health. All of these people agree that she should be back at school. Whilst the CAMHS team believe that she remains a risk to herself, the psychiatrist reports that she is low risk for suicide and self harm, but believes she remains a vulnerably individual. CAHMS and the psychiatrist agree that therapy is required.
Our daughter is performing well academically at this school, in on numerous sports teams and has made many friends; she desperately wants to remain at the school and rejoin as a full boarder. She has broken no school rules that we justify permanent exclusion.
What I am trying to understand is whether a permant exclusion from school would be a form of discrimination against my daughter under the Equalities Act, and would be very grateful for any thoughts or experiences that you are able to share with me.
Many thanks. Bill
Thank you all for your comments.
Despite our best efforts to reason with the school, my daughter has now been excluded on the basis that the symptoms of her autism can not be addressed sufficiently or quickly enough to envisage a return to full boarding.
As many of your suggested, we have now spoken to a lawyer as well as the EASS and it is clear my daughter is a victim of discrimination and is entitled to protection under the Equality Act (2010).
In speaking to the lawyer we have also been informed that any legal action against the school is unlikely to result in any kind of punitive action against the school and that discrimination cases current recieve very little media attention, which means that there is currently no incentive for private schools to change their behaviour.
Best regards. BIll