Homeschool for DC with mental health issues and anxiety?

[yougotanology]

DC Yr 10 - EUPD with anxiety, depression and some autistic traits on medication and under CAMHS, a psychiatrist and on a therapy programme.

School is a massive cause of anxiety and is currently on a reduced timetable (as advised by the psychiatrist) - making a decision each morning on what classes they can face.

Hoping this is a temporary setup due to a terrible period last term and missed a lot of school and is just to 'ease' them back in to school.

However, doesn't seem to be going that well and am considering home school.

I don't want to do the wrong thing by isolating them but I do often think we're just exacerbating the whole problem and making it worse? They deserve a decent education.

I work part time and although my work have been brilliant - it's unfair on them in the long term and is adding to my stress (this is not the most important thing but I need to try to keep light and upbeat to support my DC).

Has anybody been in a similar situation and home schooled? Do you know if you can apply for a grant or carers allowance in this instance (I earn a really good wage and would struggle without the income)?

Thanks for reading.

Yes, I have been. Not my DC, but me.

I was never considered to be on the spectrum, but over night I developed severe anxiety and left full time school from the age of 13/14. Eventually I was home schooled, but not very well. To be completely honest, I was let down by all the authorities and it still effects me to this day, so whenever I hear of another DC potentially going down the same road, I feel very sad.

Saying all that, your DC doesn't have to continue down this road. With help, they can still have a positive outcome.

Homeschooling doesn't have to equal total isolation. These days there are groups that other homeschooled DCs can go to. I didn't have this, but it would have made a big difference to me, I'm sure.

Does your DC have friends?

They do have a small group of friends.

Nothing seems to help though.

I'm sorry your experience wasn't good.

I just don't know what to do. I'm currently sitting with them trying to get them to feel ok about going in at break but it's not going well.

Im sorry, OP. I wish I could offer you more advice.

Please remember, this doesn't last forever. It really doesn't. I wish I could go back in time and tell my 13 year old self that.

I didn't get the proper help, but the future is unwritten for your DC. Assure them that this is a blip and although it feels like they're climbing Everest right now, they won't always feel like this. They have so much to look forward to.

What do they enjoy doing? What are they good at?

I'm going through the exact same with my daughter but she's 9. I do think hers is anxiety and it's awful.

This morning was the worst she has been. And seriously thinking of home schooling but I'm so scared. I don't know what's best for her.

I I completely understand how your feeling and it's the worse feeling in the world.

This has been going on since they were 7 and took til last year to get a proper diagnosis, medication and therapy.

They've agreed to go in at lunchtime. They were supposed to go in at break and now can't face it.

I don't know, it's all so hard and I'm letting people down - if I just homeschooled and left work at least we could have some consistency, but then I don't have the skill to homeschool and however many groups we join, won't give them the stability of friends.

It's so worrying, I don't particularly like routine but I work best with a plan and being organised. I also feel like I'm forcing them to go in, but I think it will help overall just to do a few periods each day, otherwise it will become more difficult with each day to go back in.

Hello yougotanology Great nn, btw

Would your dc be able to work independently whilst you are at work?
You don't need any special skills to homeschool, that's the joy.
It certainly isn't like teaching and she can also choose whatever GCSE's she wants to do if any atm.
The downside is that you have to pay for everything, once you have deregistered there's no help available really.
If she has friends at school there is nothing wrong with keeping in touch with them and seeing them outside school, and it isn't important to join home ed groups if she doesn't want to. Mine didn't, as she needed flexibility ito time.
What does she like doing? How many GCSE's is she currently studying?

I've been in the same situation, although my Dad's anxiety began half way through Reception year. I started home schooling her in Yr3 as she was refusing most days by then and self-harming on the rare days she did attend.

I had all the same worries as you in the beginning. But actually it has worked out well for us. By being able to separate out the different anxieties and work on each one individually at her own pace, she has made massive progress. So now she can concentrate fully on maths for example without worrying that her peers will laugh if she gives the wrong answer or she is taking too long (diagnosed LDs) or if she's not wearing the right clothes etc. Likewise her socialising time is just for socialising, and she can give that her all (also has add traits) without also needing to worry about that spelling test after break or whether she forgot her homework.

Thanks for the replies.

DC won't ever be on their own at home and we can't leave them due to safety.

It will mean they will be with me 24 hrs and that will not be good for them and they are so very dependent on me.

Dad works from home from time to time and both our mums could come and be with them on the days that I work but it's not a great plan - they have their own lives and this is my child.l and my responsibility.

I would homeschool if I really thought it was the best option but I still think it would make them even more insular.

Their friends don't ever come round (except best friend) and they don't ever go out. It's not like their social life could continue. School is the only social interaction apart from messaging etc.