My DS / Year 11 / ASD has been struggling with depression since the first lockdown. We're on the waiting list for CAMHS but a long way off seeing anyone yet. Have been trying privately to no avail. He sees the school counsellor which helps a bit.
Everything has been difficult. The first lockdown was 'here's the work, do it in your own time/to own schedule' and that didn't go well. Then there was the autumn term back in school, he hated that and was off sick quite a lot. Last lockdown, just ended, was 'face to face and school timetable' which was also very mixed as he struggled to get up and engage.
Tuesday was first day back and he came home in such a state I thought 'this has to change' too. So I've kept him at home and have asked school if we can look at a reduced timetable and reduced workload. They've suggested this before and they are really helpful. However they want him to pop in to do his next covid test this morning, and then go in for a face to face chat. Even this is too much for him and he's refusing to get out of bed.
I've tried everything. Bribery, incentives, compromises, anger (not proud of that), encouragement etc etc. I feel we've reached the end of the line.
Anyone know what would happen if he just never went back? But didn't engage from home either. ie, if he just dropped out. Would they be obliged to assess work done so far and assess him on that? Would we have to un-enrol him? Or would we ask the GP to sign him off as sick (which he is). His grades have always ranged between 6 and 9 for all his subjects. Even his half-arsed mocks in October brought him good results. All enough to get back into the sixth form (although I'm seriously doubting his ability for that but it largely depends whether we're back to some kind of normality by then).
I'm not trying to let him off the hook but just accepting the fact that he is actually sick, but don't want his entire school career to go down the pan and him to leave school with no qualifications.
Any suggestions / insights welcome.