She should be provided with an alternative education

I'm not saying she doesn't, but this way she's got no chance of trying to rebuild and make friends and the longer it goes on the worse it will be

I think you are being unreasonable, only because its a different school, doesn't mean she will suddenly start socialising with other children, she's obviously got trauma.

It's like saying if you have a serious accident in a car, just get a new one and crack on! That's not how it works.

Not much advice OP but this must be incredibly stressful for you and your daughter.

If I was in that situation, I would probably take her out of school and let her self educate with the huge resources available online / books. She's obviously not going to learn at school if the poor girl is constantly in the toilets upset.

Only issue would be paying for her gcses.

I hope your LA get their shit together and the school sounds absolutely terrible.

Place marking for the morning op as I’m exhausted but going through very similar with dd (year 9)

Not to be harsh, but I can't believe your daughter has now missed out on school for a year, stop wasting time and just change her school. A half hour commute isn't that bad. Given all her issues, home-schooling etc will probably make her anxiety worse. She should be socialising with other children her age. How is she going to cope as an adult if she is isolated from other people? Don't get me wrong it's terrible she has been bullied, but all this stress and dragging things out is probably not helping her or you to move on

I was questioning your ability to make a sweeping statement about a child’s mental health without assessing them. So perhaps the “ wow” should be redirected to yourself. The op state wher child has anxiety , has experienced bullying but nowhere does she state her child has suicidal thoughts. What she did say was two other children had suicided. We have absolutely no idea what attributed in those cases.
mots a huge jump from school refusal and anxiety to suicide.
In answer to your question about what I would suggest, as a very experienced mental health clinician I offer no direct advice on a child I have not assessed and neither should you. You very unhelpfully diagnosed this child with other conditions.
I did not suggest she done nothing as you put it.
You have escalated a situation you have only been given little bits of information on.
would you really take advice from total strangers on the internet?

Coming from a teacher, this school sounds terrible. They should have pastoral people who can work with her, part time timetable to phase her back in, or let her work in learning support with work from teachers. Can she move schools, not alternative provision, just a nicer mainstream!

Op what did the LA say. Too often school try to wiggle out of their responsibilities

Perhaps you are replying to someone else @Blueybanditbingochilli as I haven’t written anything about ‘no harm.’ I work in this area and know of what I speak. You can take a look at some of the recent research if you need to.

@mychilddeservesaneducation I am glad you’re feeling energised and have your pointy elbows ready! Very best of luck to you and your DD.

You've had lots of good advice, but given the length of time this has been ongoing, and the effects on her education, and the evidence build up you have, and that she has a diagnosis: alongside sharpening your elbows and dealing with the LA, I would suggest taking on the hell that is a DLA application for her. There is a clear need and a clear set of things that financial support could help alleviate.

It should not be the case that someone should be bullied to the point their mental health is so badly affected they can no longer access their education, but that is where she is.

It's painful and time consuming, and another battle, and you may not be successful, but if you are, it will at least give you some sort of an education/MH budget towards trying to help her while all the rest is ongoing.

The specific legislation covering alternative provision providing a suitable, full-time education for those unable to attend school (whether that is for SEN related reasons where DC meet the definition of having SEN set out in section 20 of the Children and Families Act 2014 or not) is still section 19 of the Education Act 1996. If you look at IPSEA and SOSSEN’s websites you would see this.

But the right to an education that meets needs for a child coming within the s20 Children and Families Act 2014 definition of SEN - which OP's child does - is the CFA.

Because (honestly I’m not exaggerating) every emotional distress on here is met with an instant assumption the person being discussed is autistic despite only 1 very tenuous symptom for which there is a good reason (in this case bullying). Saying there’s ’no harm’ in just having her assessed anyway isn’t true - she’ll be added to a list which has increased by 700% because of this sort of thinking, while simultaneously wondering ‘why the system is so broken and waiting lists so long’.

The legislation covering education alternative provision for CSA pupils unable to attend school is still section 19 of the Education Act 1996. As you will see if you look at IPSEA’s website and model letters.

The relevant Act now is the Children and Families Act, but it's probably better to look at all the information on the IPSEA and SOS SEN websites.

Exact same situation here. It’s so awful. You have to know your rights. Check out the education act. Child has a right to an education that meets their needs. Then contact your local MP, cc’ing in local councillors (ask around locally and find out which councillors are active, pushy and useful). Get them on side to fight for an education for your child.

My MP was horrified that such a situation existed and was very helpful.

Good luck

Yes…? It’s still worth putting an EHCNA in. Clear SEMH needs with the anxiety. Cognition and learning needs due to missed learning so there will now be knowledge gaps. As a couple of posters have mentioned, there may be needs in the area of communication and interaction if she is autistic. (Remember there is - also - a huge overlap between female teens diagnosed with anxiety and autism.) Finally, OP will be able to consider if there are any physical and sensory needs.

OP should certainly submit for an EHCNA; the more info that can be listed under each of the four areas the better.

Be careful with SENDIASS. Some are good but many are not and repeat the LA’s unlawful policies.

My understanding from them is that the LA need to provide alternative after 15 days absence.

The 15 days (that can be cumulative) don’t need to have already been missed. The LA should provide provision as soon as it becomes clear 15 days will be missed and the provision should begin by the sixth day of absence.

OP’s child doesn’t have special needs

Anxiety to the level OP is talking about are SEMH needs and meet the legal definition of SEN.

@Theunhappiestchild could DD cope with more than 7 hours in any form (doesn’t have to be traditional academic education)? If so, the LA should be providing more. 7hrs is not full time and the LA knows this. Email the LA.

She’s anxious because she was bullied.

She has a diagnosis (from the GP) of anxiety. The school said this was insufficient for her to access any SEND type support.

This isn’t true and it goes against the SEN Code of Practice.

As others have said, submit a parental request for an EHCNA.

Also, there is a huge overlap between girls who present with EBSNA (emotionally based school non attendance) and autism. Would you consider having her assessed?

Well yes I agree. But it’s worth trying if everything else fails as frankly it works and can be life changing.

Gosh you must live in a well resourced borough. The bar for acceptance here is very high. If they thought the cause of anxiety was environmental (bullying) they'd expect that to be addressed rather than treating it as a mental health issue.

Please don't try drugs before you've tried a viable option like moving. Half an hour isn't that far when the stakes are this high