To ask if you got your child back into school after EBSA?

We have 2, both made it through primary but DD failed to transition to secondary having barely made it through primary and ended up very successfully in an online school

DS. became more wobbly as secondary progressed but managed with support to finish A levels with reduced time in school

Both have happily progressed at Uni and are in their respective final years.

Every child is an individual and should be treated thus, square pegs shouldn’t be pushed into round holes, if more people accepted that we would damage less neurodivergent children long term

DN went back in, towards the end of year 10 and ended up with a decent clutch of GCSEs. Also has ASD, anxiety and depression. Was in a sort of AP (hospital schooling). They just really needed a safe space while sources of anxiety were removed and they matured enough to develop better coping mechanisms. The school was dreadful though.

I always think it's unfortunate when ministers make these comments because they are really not aimed at parents whose children are unwell or not being provided for in school and who almost always have a dialogue with the school about it. Their absences are coded up differently too so shouldn't contribute towards unauthorised absence figures. There has always been a subset of parents whose kids have poor attendance for no good reason, and that's who it's aimed at. Covid has made this worse as the social contract with schools has broken down somewhat, plus more homeworking makes it more of an option for people.

Ministers/schools saying that doesn't mean that they don't also think SEND provision is rubbish and is driving some kids of absence, the two things can exist alongside each other.

DD has ASD as well and really good attendance which is a mixture of luck and like OP keeping her exposed to gently challenging situations but very aware this could change and we will need a different strategy at some point. Like others we really need provision for academically able which doesn't seem to exist. I was told by someone in a local ASD group it was abusive to send any child to school with ASD - which I suspect would be news to DD - but there are some fairly rigid/extreme positions out there too.

Honestly, for my DD, I don't think she can learn in a mainstream setting. Trouble is there is no suitable alternative provision for an academically capable autistic child. I think she might do OK via online schooling. I looked into it privately but it's beyond our financial capabilities. I know of others that have online learning funded via EHCP but we are still fairly early in the application process and I don't know if we'll ever get one.

I am in the midst of it so can't answer your question very well. My DD attends part-time and it's a huge struggle. She has autism and situational mutism. I say to Bridget Phillipson and anyone else who doesn't seem to get it, what would you do if your child was highly distressed? Do you just force them in? I've done that and begged them keep an eye on her and nobody even checked. My child goes into freeze mode when very anxious so probably looks OK to them. She isn't.

I don't "let" her stay at home for the sake of it but there are days where I cannot either endanger her mental health by forcing her into a situation where she feels so unsafe. I and other parents in the same situation dont want things to be this way. We are desperate. We just want our DC to be able to access the education they are entitled to.

Sort of .. if that helps.

I didn’t her her back into school, but got her into college (due back for her 2nd year).

Sertraline was massively helpful, getting a diagnosis from CAMHS, regular therapy.

ASD and ADHD are the most common SEN so it would make sense if that group were also the largest in EBSA as SEN needs not met is a key trigger.

Given the difficulties of access to diagnosis, I can't think any such figure could be reliable, however.

Home education.. ASD Grandsons..
Mental health comes first.
We took them out after primary and never looked back.
One is now at Uni.
One just passed all 8 GCSE's