Any advice please? Why would a school refuse to provide behaviour records for a SEN/VCB child?

[doubleshotespresso]

Just that really- our child is increasingly struggling to behave in school, often lashing out and school are refusing to provide us these records, despite repeated written requests.
Is there a reason they'd be allowed to refuse? All I can think is they don't wan details or frequency of restraint used issues?
Desperate for any advice please!

[doubleshotespresso]

bump

[Biggreen87]

I'd expect there to be incident reports if another person has been hurt. If restraint has been used this has to be recorded. They can't simply refuse to give these records to you.

Make a freedom of information request. They can't legally refuse this. If the information is missing I'd make a formal complaint to the school governors. It may be that they aren't recording these incidents as they should be and that's why they aren't giving them to you.

[Ellie56]

Agree with the above. Is your child being excluded/sent home as a result of these incidents?

[doubleshotespresso]

Thanks for responses. Yes being frequently sent home with no written explanations despite my requests. They will not acknowledge this as exclusion
So frightening to be in this situation and the school seemingly being so guarded when we have only ever been open and honest with them

[Ellie56]

Your child is being unlawfully excluded. I would ask for a copy of the school's complaint procedure (all schools are legally required to have one) and follow it to the letter.

You may like to draw the school and GB's attention to this document
which they should be well aware of:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/641418/20170831_Exclusion_Stat_guidance_Web_version.pdf

In particular paragraph 14 on Page 10

‘Informal’ or ‘unofficial’ exclusions, such as sending a pupil home ‘to cool off’, are unlawful, regardless of whether they occur with the agreement of parents or carers. Any exclusion of a pupil, even for short periods of time, must be formally recorded.^

[doubleshotespresso]

Yes I'm aware it's unlawful thanks. I'm trying wherever possible to avoid the complaints procedure in some effort to maintain a good relationship. But it's increasingly challenging when they're incapable of straight answers and so obviously not following plans agreed

[Ellie56]

What good relationship? Unfortunately while you pussyfoot round them instead of challenging them, they will just carry on treating you with contempt and continuing with their unlawful behaviour, and nothing will improve.

Sorry OP I recognise the modus operandi - been there, got the T shirt. All that happens is you waste time waiting for them to do the right thing. As things stand, they're never going to do the right thing, so you either accept things as they are, or put a complaint in.

And in answer to your original ,question, I suspect they either haven't got any records because nobody can be arsed to do them, or they're not being done properly.

Does your son have an EHC Plan?

[doubleshotespresso]

Ellie56 sorry if I've not been clear yes I have challenged this three times culminating in a meeting with the head who informed me they "dislike excluding SEN chikdren, preferring to agree time out is needed". They've refused to provide written explanations each time I've collected.

Yes there's an EHCP but ten hours short of what school say they need to meet all needs, so they're currently applying fir extra from the local authority.

*What good relationship "?
Well they've done lots of progressive work with various professionals and have applied some but not all recommendations so I'm thus keen to continue to campaign as positively as I can, the one time I took a rep to a meeting the relationship suffered so I'm trying to build on the little I have whilst they're caring for my child who is frequently violent towards adults and other children.
Which leads to the exclusions ?!?