Following this thread https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4996315-a-question-to-all-those-who-think-school-refusal-in-schools-is-increasing-due-to-lazy-enabling-parents?latest=1
I wondered if some people would welcome an EBSA support thread. I haven't seen another one so if there is already one I can delete this one. For those dealing with EBSA - I don't know about you but sometimes I just want to cry and scream with all the stress and I thought it might be healthier to write it down and share with others going through similar issues.
My son is 15 yr 11 and is currently upstairs refusing to go to his mock GCSE this morning. He is too anxious. He is only doing 5 GCSEs and has small group tutoring in his school rather than the normal classes. There are several in his year with EBSA so they have their own group. He is finally being assessed for ASD after 2.5 years in CAMHs list and also finally being assessed for EHCP after mediation due to council refusal to assess. He is what they used to call high functioning but unable to deal with education. I am practically in tears this morning trying to get him to go in. He usually doesn't go in until about 11 so this is early. He doesn't sleep.
So enough about me. If you too are having a crappy morning then please talk.
It would be good if this thread can be for those who are dealing with EBSA. Well meant advice or judgement from others may not always be welcome or helpful. I have tried literally everything over the last two years to get my son to school and am learning much of this is beyond my control. Sometimes there just isn't an answer.
I have put this in Chat for now so it gets seen. It could fit in education, SEN, or some other subjects.
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The EBSA support thread (emotionally based school avoidance/absence)
BrambleyHedge · 08/02/2024 09:21
A question to all those who think school refusal in schools is increasing due to lazy, enabling parents... | Mumsnet
The question I always have is why? Why would we choose this? I hear all the time that it's all our fault, it's just parents letting them ge...
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4996315-a-question-to-all-those-who-think-school-refusal-in-schools-is-increasing-due-to-lazy-enabling-parents?latest=1
Quartz2208 · 08/02/2024 10:05
Does anyone else weirdly find the good days hard, the hope that you are getting somewhere but knowing that a backward step is likely soon.
do yours go out much trying slowly with that but miss all the things we used to do
lavenderlou · 08/02/2024 11:38
Me, DD Y9. Been struggling with school since Y7 but really bad the last year or so. Attendance at 75% but when she does go in she spends half the day in the pastoral room so misses loads of lessons. She has situational mutism and bad anxiety. On the ASD assessment pathway.
School have made adjustments like sitting with a friend and not being called on to answer questions but she's still very anxious. The worst thing for her is strict teachers (which unfortunately is most of them). SENCo said she needed to start attending more lessons but hasn't put anything into place. I feel that because my DD is so quiet she is just invisible to everyone. She is generally academic and I had quite high aspirations for her but now I just hope she can get some GCSEs and hope something like a college will be a better environment for her. Unfortunately we live in an area where there are very few alternative schools. I don't think she would cope with a new environment anyway.
Younger DD at primary school also anxious and starting to express reluctance about school. I'm dreading having two of them when she moves to secondary.
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 08/02/2024 12:17
Oh strict teachers and questioning! Been there. School never gets it ever!
lavenderlou · 08/02/2024 11:38
Me, DD Y9. Been struggling with school since Y7 but really bad the last year or so. Attendance at 75% but when she does go in she spends half the day in the pastoral room so misses loads of lessons. She has situational mutism and bad anxiety. On the ASD assessment pathway.
School have made adjustments like sitting with a friend and not being called on to answer questions but she's still very anxious. The worst thing for her is strict teachers (which unfortunately is most of them). SENCo said she needed to start attending more lessons but hasn't put anything into place. I feel that because my DD is so quiet she is just invisible to everyone. She is generally academic and I had quite high aspirations for her but now I just hope she can get some GCSEs and hope something like a college will be a better environment for her. Unfortunately we live in an area where there are very few alternative schools. I don't think she would cope with a new environment anyway.
Younger DD at primary school also anxious and starting to express reluctance about school. I'm dreading having two of them when she moves to secondary.
BrambleyHedge · 08/02/2024 12:29
In the early days of refusal my son was off for two weeks, staying in bed all day low mood/depression. His first day back he was sitting on his own at break time and a teacher came over and laid into him for not doing his homework. To be fair, the SENCO said it was unacceptable but it just set him back again. He is at a boy's grammar and it isn't really designed for people like him.
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 08/02/2024 12:17
Oh strict teachers and questioning! Been there. School never gets it ever!
lavenderlou · 08/02/2024 11:38
Me, DD Y9. Been struggling with school since Y7 but really bad the last year or so. Attendance at 75% but when she does go in she spends half the day in the pastoral room so misses loads of lessons. She has situational mutism and bad anxiety. On the ASD assessment pathway.
School have made adjustments like sitting with a friend and not being called on to answer questions but she's still very anxious. The worst thing for her is strict teachers (which unfortunately is most of them). SENCo said she needed to start attending more lessons but hasn't put anything into place. I feel that because my DD is so quiet she is just invisible to everyone. She is generally academic and I had quite high aspirations for her but now I just hope she can get some GCSEs and hope something like a college will be a better environment for her. Unfortunately we live in an area where there are very few alternative schools. I don't think she would cope with a new environment anyway.
Younger DD at primary school also anxious and starting to express reluctance about school. I'm dreading having two of them when she moves to secondary.
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Lindy2 · 08/02/2024 10:44
DD15. Diagnosed ADHD but, without a doubt also ASD/PDA (on the long waiting list for formal diagnosis).
She masked like a trooper until year 10. I thought she was doing ok, although the lockdowns in year 7 and 8 helped her hide how much she was actually struggling.
Year 10 started with more GCSE pressure, a change of Head, fall outs with friends, a health scare (a cyst) and BOOM. The world as we knew it imploded and she went deep into autistic burnout. It's been horrendous. She's been so mentally unwell.
Year 11 now. Approximately 30% attendance and even that is a massive struggle to achieve. No chance of passing any GCSEs but sitting some would be an achievement.
I'm honestly counting the hours until school is over forever. We will then focus on rebuilding our child.
Hopefully college will be better. She has an EHCP now - it's just been finalised. If college doesn't work out we look for a specialist placement. I so miss the happy, laughing child she used to be.
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 08/02/2024 12:33
She will come back though.
Mines halfway out of burnout. I can see the happy laughing child she always used to be. Still exhausted and over sensitive. But not hiding in her room all the time anymore.
Lindy2 · 08/02/2024 10:44
DD15. Diagnosed ADHD but, without a doubt also ASD/PDA (on the long waiting list for formal diagnosis).
She masked like a trooper until year 10. I thought she was doing ok, although the lockdowns in year 7 and 8 helped her hide how much she was actually struggling.
Year 10 started with more GCSE pressure, a change of Head, fall outs with friends, a health scare (a cyst) and BOOM. The world as we knew it imploded and she went deep into autistic burnout. It's been horrendous. She's been so mentally unwell.
Year 11 now. Approximately 30% attendance and even that is a massive struggle to achieve. No chance of passing any GCSEs but sitting some would be an achievement.
I'm honestly counting the hours until school is over forever. We will then focus on rebuilding our child.
Hopefully college will be better. She has an EHCP now - it's just been finalised. If college doesn't work out we look for a specialist placement. I so miss the happy, laughing child she used to be.
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