teenager refusing to go to school

[Redcarfiesta2000]

Hello, has any one experienced their teenagers refusing to go to school. I have recently become a foster carer to my 14 year old grandson. I know the poor lad is suffering and finding it hard to cope with life at the moment and his refusal to go to school is the only way he can kick back at the authorities. Does any one have any idea how I can help him over come this. He has been with us 10 days now and apart from that he is settling in well. He is a lovely boy and the initial problem for him to be in this predicament was not down to him - so no behavioural problems up to now.

I'm just coming back to this to reiterate - tell the manager that you want an emergency PEP meeting

A PEP is a legal requirement and part of the over all care plan - it focuses on education and bring all professionals and carers together - if their is an issue with education it should be the go to point

Get them to arrange one ASAP - all the additional help should come FROM that meeting (CAMHS, 1-1 support, reduced time table etc)

He will be getting the highest rate of pupil premium which legal MUST be used to support HIS education - a PEP will identify how this money is being used and direct it to have the most impact

Good luck x

My 13 year old dd hasn't been to mainstream school for a year.
She suffers from severe social and separation anxiety and through cahms, medication and various counselling groups she's coming out of the other side and hoping to start back in January.
It's been horrendous. My dd took an OD because I was being pressured by school to make her attend and she was so scared.
In her case there's no underlying reason why she suddenly became so anxious but she is being assessed for ASD.
The school should have an EWO (educational welfare officer) who is supposed to be on the child's side and not the school (who tend to care too much about attendance figures).
You need to arrange a meeting with this person and go from there. I agree a cahms referral is needed too.
Unfortunately you often need to be quite forward and pushy which I found difficult, s these things can move very slowly.

Is there a possibility of you home schooling for a term or two?