Advice with Hospital school and mainstream?

[feeling133]

Hi I'm after some advice please!

My dd is 14 and is in year 10. She has had a tough year and has missed a lot of school. She began having panic attacks due to social anxiety and developed a phobia about working in silence. She became very aware of herself and that she could draw attention to herself in quiet situations. This has now led to her avoiding any situation when the class is required to work quietly or in silence.

The school has just rang me and has requested that I speak to my GP and request for her to send a letter to get her hospital schooled. We have CAMHs tomorrow and she has had 7 counselling sessions with another organisation which have worked wonders for raising her self esteem.

My problem is she has three lessons that she enjoys at school, Media, PSE, and music. She copes well in these and she enjoys the interactions with friends etc. I really don't want to remove her from this experience. I believe school is not just about academic achievement (she was predicted all Bs and As in September so her ability to access education academically is not my issue) after the year we have had her health and social experiences are my priority as this is the root of her problems. I believe if I remove her from these she will literally loose all contact with normality and feel even more isolated than she already does, I'm afraid if she is expected to attend hospital school full time it will be too much for her.

I know she needs help with a great deal of issues (and also English maths and science!) and I'd welcome the help with open arms! I would just like to know am I within my right to fight for this? I want her to be kept at her school for the things she can cope with but get the extra help on the certain days she can't go into the lessons? (Wednesday's and Friday's are the days she doesn't attend).

I've read online that during or after hospital school reintegration should be handled appropriately but surely if I can fight for her to not loose school life completely this would be more beneficial to her in the long run??!

Please any advice would be amazing!!! I'm desperate!!

[Kanga59]

I would fight to stay at school and try and get things out in place for her - coping mechanisms and counselling. Are the teachers very understanding? I know it's not the same but at school I had a fear of speaking in front of the class, even sat at my seat, I hated answering a question posed to the class because it drew attention to me.cmy mum arranged it with the school that I wouldn't be asked questions or required to read aloud. And now as an adult I think that was a bad idea. With support and counselling I could have overcome it and it wouldn't be a burden I carry now as an adult. Problems don't go away if you avoid them

[feeling133]

Hi! Yeah that's what I'm doing. The school has TOLD me to visit my gp to get referred to hospital school but I've refused. She is seeing a psychologist but waiting for her appointments to come through so she can actually start the sessions. I've told the school I will be sending her in for the lessons she can cope with and the others she will be home with me until she has some coping strategies or help from the psychologists.
I was curious to know whether I am within my rights to refuse. They have given me three options and hospital ed was one, back in full time was the other, and part time in school and part time in special needs building which we visited and its not appropriate for her needs,( it actually is what her issues are with classrooms are but magnified!) I've refused all three and am now plodding along until I get help from camhs.
I have now been referred to the education welfare officer so will be interesting to see where this route takes us!

[Kanga59]

Oh sorry I misunderstood. I have an eysenit for my son but he is under 5 and in education. I am. It sure what age they cover up to. But if you could get an eysenit that would be a good source of info and support for you.

Failing that, a no-names call to your local MASH team to see what the options are?

[feeling133]

Thanks for the advise! I'll look into that x