How do you make them go to school - or anything else

[medusamum]

help my 16 year old won't attend school. he is very polite about it, will make what he considers an effort but by morning break he has usually taken off (and sometimes the school notices). His reasons are that he hates school and it stresses him out and makes him depressed. He has got the idea that he could attend part-time but not any lessons. Has anyone had this problem and any advice would be apreciated..

[Tortington]

where does he go?

call the social services, change schools, call the police and ask advice, call council ask for truancy officer to come cart him bck to school.

[medusamum]

home until i took his keys off him - if he wants to wag school hes not doing it in comfort with ps2 and my chocs..

tried ss and police, not interested as over 16 with 3 months to go to exams. police said they stop anyone who looks like should be in school....

[fostermum]

sorry to say that there is no way to force him to school you could speak to the school see if he has any problems there,and they can give him a shortened day but he would still have to attend for the main lessons,he will have a school mentor,councilor type person get a meeting with them and the head,but due to his age they cant do much,have you tried taking ps2 off him till end of the day and he has been to school?with holding pocket money ect?you have my sympathy i had a 15 yr old who wouldnt even get out of bed for school and we couldnt do anything with him either

[happymerryberries]

Have a chat with the school. Is there a chances that he could be set up with an alternative education plan? That sometimes works well with kids who don't get on with 'normal' school. The school may be able to set him up with an extended work experince place part time, while he continues with basic education part time. Or could he do more vocational studies at a local collage part time? This can sometimes be a real turn around for kids. Not always, but t might be worth a try.

[mfh]

I sympathise medusamum. My 14-year-old DS isn't keen on going. We had a long period of this last year, and have just started again. Just can't be bothered to go - he's never been keen on school, though is a good student and has plenty of friends there.

Sounds as if your son needs some help with the stress and depression - is there a school nurse or other students who act as mentors who could help?

Have you tried the Educational Welfare Officer? I found ours very effective, and am going to ring her if I get no action out of school this week.

Can you set your son targets in his exams, with some sort of desirable reward? Then he'll either have to go to school or be prepared to put in the effort. Part-time school is certainly possible, and it might be worth negotiating that he drops some subjects but continues with others.

Good luck!