Daughter PTSD

[CoolMama87]

Hi, this is my first post. My 13 year old daughter had a nervous breakdown and it has come to light that she has been harassed and bullied by a male teacher. She became suicidal and has been admitted to a local psychiatric hospital for adolescents and CAMHS are working with her.

She has secured a place at a college for Sep 2016 to study for her GCSEs and A levels.

Putting aside action against the school and teacher. My daughter will not be returning to that school.

What are my options as far as her education goes? As she starts at the new college in Sep 2016 I may not be talking about a lengthly time that she will require educational support.

Does anyone on here know of James Brindley schools? And how they work?

Any advice would be so appreciated.

[Littlefish]

As far as I know, the James Brindley schools provide qualified teachers who are unable to attend school due to health issues. I'm not sure how you access them but if she's still in the psychiatric hospital, then they should know how the process works.

Failing that, if you call the school direct, they might be able to talk you through the process.

[steppemum]

As far as I understand it, the LA is obliged to provide an education for your dd. If she is in a hospital, she will/should get teaching input from the hospital teaching team.

If she is at home and unable to go to school due to medical issues, she should be provided with a tutor.

You will probably need to follow all that up though.

[CoolMama87]

Thank you. This is all new to me so am trying to do as much ground work as possible to prepare for when she comes home.
She is being educated in hospital its what happens when she leaves that I want to find out as much as possible what options are available to me.

[cestlavielife]

James Brindley seems to be hospital schol in bitrmingham . Are you in Birmingham ?

While she in patient the hosp will provide education and can advise on accessing education when she discharged. They would work with the new school or tutors . Lea has to provide education. Speak to the hospital school but if she very ill and unable to access education right now then wait until she better. Does the college take her age students ? Or not til September ?

[cestlavielife]

Google

Statutory guidance for children who cannot attend school because of health needs

[cestlavielife]

www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-for-children-with-health-needs-who-cannot-attend-school

[cestlavielife]

She can be at home with a tutor visiting
She can attend a small group setting
She can attend hospital school as day pupil
She can attend mainstream school if able to cope with strategies put in place and health care plan

There will be different options

[BackforGood]

James Brindley is an umbrella name for all the schools and teaching run for dc who can't attend school. It isn't one building, but several - there are different sites - there are classes for Primary and classes for secondary. There is some teaching done in hospital, but many of the dc are taken to their base by school transport at the moment like any child attending specialist education. They usually aim towards them attending for a full school day, but the programs are individually tailored to need, and when places are first offered, not all the dc can cope with a full day, so a plan is put in place to start with a shorter day, then review, then build up.

[CoolMama87]

Thanks Cestlavielife, yes Birmingham. The college she has a place at to start Sep 2016 is for 14-18 year olds to study specifically for GCSEs and As. By the time she is well enough and discharged from hospital it may be very close to the end of the academic year so she will need only a short access to education.

[CoolMama87]

Thanks BackforGood, that reads promising as my daughter will need a specific plan for her needs

[HannahHobbins]

Does your authority have a specialist teaching team? In mine, if a child is off school for a certain amount of time, I think it's 6 weeks maybe, they are entitled to a qualified teacher visit once a day for a few hours.

[CoolMama87]

HannahHobbins, I will check that out next week. Feeling really anxious as this has happened over holiday period when most places are closed

[HannahHobbins]

There may be something here that helps?

[Thornrose]

When my dd couldn't attend school due to anxiety I was told to get her signed off on MH grounds. This had to be done by a consultant psychologist.

She was then going to be offered a place at the medical unit of a local Alternative Provision College.

Your dd's current school should be able to give you the name of the relevant contact.

[cestlavielife]

It's 15 days off school then they have to consider providing alternative provision. But as she is in patient the hospital should sign necessary papers and advise what provision would be best on discharge. Make sure you discuss this with them before discharge so things are in place. Ie consultant letters and referrals and meeting with education official. It sounds like Birmingham has a good system in place.

[cestlavielife]

Don't worry too much for now as hospital will provide education. But speak to the college in a few months about how they would support her going forward if she still has mh needs.

[Thornrose]

Ah, sorry, missed she is still an inpatient. I shouldn't try to give advice late at night!

[CoolMama87]

Thank you everyone. I am completely out of my depth as I have never experienced this before.
Just want to gather as much information as possible so I am as "educated" as I can be so I can get the best for my daughter