Parent refusing to have their child assessed

[StrongCoffeeAvalanche]

Hi, I don't want to give too many details for obvious reasons.

I am a teacher. A student I teach has many signs of SEN. We realistically cannot cater for their needs as things are. We need to put extra support in place. However due to their strong beliefs the parent is refusing to allow any assessments or help to be offered. They say their child is lazy and just isn't working hard enough. The parent does no believe in neurological differences.

I have spoken to SENCO. For reasons I cannot disclose I also want to look into this myself.

Is this parent breaking any policies? I am wondering if it falls under being a form of child neglect? Is there anything we can do or does parent opinion mean we can't do anything?

The child is desperate for assessment. It is crushing them and their mental health.

Thanks.

This student maybe being coerced into not consenting/pursuing diagnosis themselves.

It's a really sad situation and from a safeguarding POV I would be concerned about the lack of therapeutic parenting in addition to the potential neglect of not following up an assessment when recommended. Poor child - they must be so anxious.

OP you were right to refer this to your SENCO and SLT safeguarding leads. I think I would also be tempted to send a further email documenting that you have significant safeguarding concerns and listing them specifically and clearly. Include the recent change of setting as this may also be a red flag. Write it in a way that if this went horribly wrong they can't deny knowledge or responsibility.

It may not get the child the result they need but at least you have pushed as hard as you can on their behalf.

There are many reasons why diagnosis is not always in the person's best interests.

I recommend the brilliant Sleeping Princesses book by the neurologist Suzanne o'sullivan (specifically the last chapter) for a very accessible and persuasive discussion of this issue.

The OP has

It’s so common and a sad sign of how ableist people are, even parents towards their own children. Because refusing to acknowledge a child’s SEN or potential diagnosis doesn’t make it all go away, does it?

@ppure sometimes getting a diagnosis opens many more opportunities and options of help, which isn't forthcoming without official evidence.

Extra time in exams, use of a laptop in exams, extra consideration just isn't going to happen if a parent just tells the teacher that their child has ASD or other issues. When they go to university they need written evidence so that the student can claime DSA.

It isn't about getting a label. It's about getting help.

Are you an ECT, OP? I thought all teachers would aware parental permission for diagnosis/support application has to be sought in cases like this, so I'm surprised you don't know that and have posted on MN saying as much.

Meant 'would be aware'...

Extra time in exams, use of a laptop in exams, extra consideration just isn't going to happen if a parent just tells the teacher that their child has ASD or other issues. When they go to university they need written evidence so that the student can claime DSA. none of that requires diagnosis.

This!

I saw a good analogy for the diagnosis/label thing the other day. "It's like washing labels. Wouldn't you want to know if your jumper is wool, delicate, needs extra care, will shrink at a high temperature?" And from a practical point of view, in an English state school, no diagnosis often means no help because resources are so stretched. That "label" matters.

Anyway, OP, I've been in your position. The child was removed to a boarding school in the parents' home country at the end of year 12.

One practical thing the SENCO can do is apply for rest breaks for exams. No diagnosis or testing needed for that.

No it doesn't, the child is 16. If they want to apply for an ehcna they don't need parents permission, the young person can authorise and sign the relevant documents and make the relevant decisions.

Might be worth seeing if you can get them an advocate actually OP. Your local sendiass/IASS or parent career forum may be able to advise on where to find one in your area,

I missed where OP had mentioned their age. I still find it a little odd she seems to know nothing about how to proceed, isn't it standard training for teachers these days?

Another perspective which I've seen argued very persuasively by the brilliant neurologist I mentioned earlier is that a diagnosis of any condition, but especially those that involve the mind and personality and behaviour, is to some extent a self-fulfilling prophecy.

It is not as simple as care instructions on garment. Having a specific diagnosis has an impact on that person's future in many, complex ways. People aren't items of clothing and being formally diagnosed with a neurological/psychological/behavioural condition is not a neutral act.

This young person doesn't need a diagnosis for an ECHP or to have interventions at school?

How long are waiting lists where you are? Seems likely they will have left school before they are seen by anyone anyway.

this happens all to often.
I remember a student starting in yr7, who we all referred to senco for asd assessment as they hit so many markers. Turns out it was the parents who refused to acknowledge there were any issues and had demanded the primary school to remove any comments about possible asd when they moved up schools. It was heartbreaking. We got around it by always placing him on the same table with the students who did have ehcp’s and therefore TA help, and an informal agreement between TAs to support him when we could, but it’s awful that when it came to exams and then moving on to college he wouldn’t get the support he needed.
it honestly should be a form on neglect - if a kid had a broken leg and parents refused to let them seek medical help then it is. Mental health and neurological conditions should be treated exactly the same

I’ve not read the thread, so sorry if I’m repeating what’s already been said - but being year 12 16/17 years old is good news - for example once 16 young people bring their own ECHP appeals etc - they themselves can ask the LA to assess, the parent doesn’t need to be involved

@Tickledtrout teachers, like many other professions also have a duty of care under common law, statutory law (Children's act 2004) and under the contract of employment - it's not as divine as saying that a teachers job is to teach.

We had a child who had fits in our class, and the parents were to be called first, NOT an ambulance, as they believed the child was doing it for attention. It was so distressing, and we filled out safeguarding concerns multiple times, but were told that as the fits had "no adverse impact" on the child's overall health or intelligence, it was not formally considered neglect. It was just distressing and embarrassing for them to wet themselves and shake in the class every month or so.

I think in some cases of SEN, it would help the teacher, TA and school to get the extra funding from a diagnosis, but some parents are just never going to understand neurodiversity. I am currently 1:1 for the most severe case of ASC I have ever witnessed in a mainstream school, and I have stopped telling parents when he is having meltdowns as they just scream at him for being naughty and not listening to me then punish him by removing his sensory toys at home. It is awful, but they are embarrassed and just want to discipline him into being normal.

divine=simple!

I would suggest you talk to whoever is the safeguarding lead in your school.

For all those suggesting that a 16/17 year old can and should refer themselves independently of their parents, do you have any idea how vulnerable and disempowered a young person suffering from anxiety/depression with possibly neuro-diverse conditions accompanying it actually is? Notwithstanding the need to have unwavering support and an advocate to get them on the road to recovery.

@ppure your child is getting a good education and care that you're arranging for him, but the OP's pupil clearly isn't, and these assessments are needed so he or she can get them. The school can put help in place up to a point but how are the school supposed to evaluate what interventions the child needs if the parents wont agree to call in professional help?

Your child doesn't have a specific diagnosis but does have a paediatritian and his needs and disabilities have been recognised. Without a referral the OP's pupil child wont have that, and when he gets to 18 without a recognised disability he wont be entitled to any support at all, not at work or in education, unless he looks for them himself.

And boys who don't have "obvious" autism can easily end up in trouble and in the criminal justice system. So it's a different situation.

Yes, that's a good point to consider. I find it concerning how frightened this child is around the parent finding out they have sought help, major red flag.

But also if a child had a hearing impairment that seriously impacted the quality of their life experiences would they be denied a hearing aid, if a child had was blind would it be acceptable to have no sensory accommodations made in a mainstream setting or if they were immobile with no learning difficulties would they be given access to a lift, a wheelchair to be accommodated in a mainstream school?

Many of these issues are covered under the Equality Act and its basic level for a teacher to identify the child's needs and plan to meet those needs, a diagnosis in itself doesn't affect that. However for some ND conditions a diagnosis provides relief and is a way for the child or person to understand themselves and access help. Although dyslexia isn't ND many people aged 60 plus are only realising now they have dyslexia but never got support leading to a lifetime of confusion and shame.

Extra time in exams, use of a laptop in exams, extra consideration just isn't going to happen if a parent just tells the teacher that their child has ASD or other issues. When they go to university they need written evidence so that the student can claime DSA. none of that requires diagnosis.

DD had a specific learning difficulty with no name. The university told her, she couldn’t have any reasonable adjustments, as it had no name. While my education solicitor wrote them a letter, we still didn’t fancy taking action against them. Luckily she was diagnosed with something else, and then they gave her all the help she needed.

For those saying it's neglect, the wait for an ASD assessment in my area is about 3 years. It's really not akin to a possible broken limb.

I say this as a parent of DC who do have formal diagnosis 2 DC NHS, 1 private.