to think the Education Welfare Officer asking for an GP appoinment card every time dd has a virus is unrealistic, when GP has just said I am wasting their time.

[piratecat]

Where do I go from here.

The EWO has to do their job, i have to prove dd was unwell so as not to get an unauthorised absence mark.

Yes dd has had alot of other health issues, hospital appointments etc, which are easy to 'prove' as such. Yet the EWO as i said wants a copy of an appointment card, for any time off.

I took dd to gp today, as today is the day dd is ill. Lucky i got an appointment, but the GP on duty is now going to speak to my actual gp, to sort this out. I have also requested for a phone call from our gp when she does her phonecalls tomorrow afternoon.

Last time i spoke to my actual gp, she said they can't write notes for kids, fair enough, totally correct when it comes to bugs.

Duty doctor said i was wasting his time bringing dd in, just to say look she has a virus.
I agree, and would not have bothered him today.
I feel torn really, and the system is just not working.

rant rant rant.

Why didn't you book to see the nurse instead.

No your ewo has no right to do this unless they are willing to pay for a private appt and note. It is a complete and utter waste of nhs time and they should know better. When speaking to your GP I would ask if they would kindly put that in a letter so you can wave it at them when they ask again.

can I ask - just out of interest as I genuinely don't know

what bad thing happens when kids get an unauthorised absence mark?

Sounds like a difficult situation for you

Sorry your dd has been so unwell and had to miss school due to appointments

Are the health issues your dd has long term? Is she more prone to viruses as a result of her health issues? If she is would a letter from the hospital doctor stating this be enough?

Can your gp write to the EWO to explain that they don't give notes for children and your dd doesn't need to be seen with a virus as nothing can be done? I see the gp'spoint about it being a bit of a waste of time but you are in a difficult situation.

Can a hv or school SENCo give any help or advice?

Alternatively do you have some sort of walk in centre in your area? In future you could take dd there and then ask for a card/note to prove she attended?

I hope you find a solution soon x

I had exactly the same problem and the Nurse who sees elderly/immune suppressed patients wouldn't thank you for a visit, either.

I just asked for a home visit by the EWORLD each time they wanted a letter, my child (children) were ill and do it wasn't unreasonable, if they had issue with viral absenteeism.

I did say "your day is spent visiting parents who cannot be bothered to send their children to school, so you have a long list to fine, first, somewhere in all that you will have time to fit my visit in".

That might sound UR, but I got sick of their unreasonableness.

You don't need this extra stress, call a meeting and end it.

I don't agree that a child with a virus should be getting dragged to sit for at least an hour in a WIC.

Not only for her sake, but for the sake of others, she shouldn't have to get taken anywhere if she isnt well enough for school, her immune system will be low as well.

I get fed up with this sort of thing as a GP. I never mind seeing a sick child, even if it is a self limiting viral illness, if the parents are concerned. But I hate it when it's just to satisfy some box-ticking jobsworth. You could ask whoever wants this "evidence" to write to your GP with your written consent, if they wish to pay for a private medical report. I find this puts an end to silly requests for notes etc. hope you get it sorted out!

Sadoldbag, you're right, i should have thought about that, i just thought firstly, it has to be a GP, because they have more authority.

I told the gp i really shouldn't be here, and we were in and out within minutes.
One thing that is good is that he will flag it up to our own gp.

I will ask my own gp tomorrow the best way forward.

When dd had her hip and period problems, it was still hard to get the EWO to believe it, and she asked if it was ok to contact my gp. I said please go ahead.

Yet with viruses, i have no proof if I'm not to take dd. I know that my gp has said they don't write notes for children.

Maybe she will suggest a nurse?

With all due respect the practice nurse and nurse practitioner also have better things to do with their time than satisfy a paperwork exercise for an EWO.

Our workload is immense in primary care, and as Laurel above says the EWO team need to get their act together.

oh lots of responses thankyou. they make me feel better.

We don't have a walk in centre, live in a rural area.

Dd has had a few health issues, long standing. I would say that she gets every bug going, even at age nearly 12. Whether that is just in her makeup, or because it's the catch 22 of not building up her defences i can't say.

Her actual illnesses/problems wouldn't suppress her immune system iyswim.

When it was suggested that i provide evidence of gp visit, i thought this was an excellent idea, as it was official proof. Yet the reaction i got today puts me in a crazy predicament.

i agree, i don't think my local surgery would have even agreed to dd seeing just a nurse. For one, it's not their duty, and two the receptionist's would always advise if your child is ill enough they need a gp's advice.

oh well i said to gp today i was sorry, let's see what happens next. Got my bit of paper for today.

I did my own googling

one council said that their threshold before prosecution is 15% absence in a year

there are 190 school days in a year

that means a child can be off for 28.5 days before prosecution.

I would check what your local council threshold is

and then write a letter or e-mail explaining situation, tell them you consider this the last of the matter - unless your child has indeed had a lot of absence since sept

When the EWO asked me to take my DS2 to the GP everytime he was ill, the GP wrote to her and said that they would not see him as it wasn't necessary. She never asked again and there was no problem.

I made sure he went to school unless he was really ill though.

This seems to be becoming far more prevalent in schools - it makes me angry, I was asked to provide evidence of a GP appt last time ds was off. I questioned it with a long email asking exactly what they required and why - I called the surgery and was told no, they do not write sick notes for children, even if I pay for one.

School backed off when I was clearly not going to let it drop. I think it's ridiculous.

yes she has had alot of time off, and is below the expected attendance, and that's why the EWO is involved.

The EWO has known us for many yrs for her problems. If i can't get proof of normal virus, i can't back up my decision to keep her off.

She has been sick, has pounding head and cough. Needs to be in bed.

This really is a ridiculous situation, isn't it. Can you phone the officious pen pusher and tell them what has happened? Could you explain that self-limiting viruses do not require a GP appt?

piratecat - if she's experiencing this a lot, then it's worth asking for a referral. We've been in a similar situation with DS1 missing school for almost a week, every half term, for coughing (the sort that won't stop) and vomiting. I described this to our GP and said that it's not right that he's this ill this often. We were referred to a consultant who cleared him of anything sinister or imuune system related but suspected abdominal migraines and suggested some foods to try excluding and re-introducing. We've not had a full blown episode since last May. The ehadaches, fatigue and coughing returned in the last week of term, before Christmas. He confessed to eating chocolate. He stopped eating chocolate and it didn't progress.

If she's been sick the school will probably tell you to keep her at home for 48 hours. If they do tell them fine, the EWO can take their word for it that that is what is happening.

That would drive me up the wall. I'm glad our school isn't like that.

I suppose i could.

Will wait to see if the gp is helpful.
I have emailed the school about the absence.
I have sent another to the school explaining what the gp said today.

I just looked up on the county website, and beyond everything, a fine is payable after 10 half day unauthorised absences.

I know dd falls below the 90%, for her authorised absences. To date we have had no unauthorized ones, except of course they will be if this doesn't get sorted.

(clings to bit of paper from receptionist today)

They've just changed the rules, and we've been told they will fine you (£60?) if the child is off for 10 half days in the school year. Where we are, the child is deemed to have missed half a day if they are 10 minutes late to school.

hi ouryve,

dd was alot more ill when younger. not sure how old your ds is?

she has only had time off since sept for periods, she started them at 9 1/2, and had an enlarged ovary last year which she was off for for 2 weeks and hospitalised. Her body hasn't taken to hormones too well.

I would say that in the past she might have had illnesses like your sons, with that frequency. She coughed every night for 3 yrs, nighttime asthma.

Generally though her health has improved. It is worthwhile looking at her diet yes i agree. I did mention this to my gp last time, who asked what she eats, and i told her and she said it sounded fine.

thankyou for your replies.

Dromedary, would they call that an unauthorised absence then?

What will you do of your child is genuinely ill for more than 10 half days.

Why are they all so different. Our website says fine happen 10 half days unauthorised.

I think my EWO would like dd's to become unauthorised so she can fine me, i believe she thinks this will stop my dd being genuinely ill.

if only.

Being more than 10 mins late to school counts as half a day of unauthorised absence, yes. I've complained to the educational social officer or whoever about this, as seems to me that there is a difference between 10 mins and half a day. They are not interested.

good grief. i thank the lord she's never been late in 7 yrs then.

Our LA are more than happy for ds2 to miss over half his schooling every week (he is on a part-time timetable at schools request) & turn a blind eye when he doesn't even manage that as a result of school refusal. The reason being an appropriate placement would cost them more money. It is pure hypocrisy that they then grumble to parents about a few days sickness.