To keep DD off school?

[Rhayader]

This is more of a wwyd.

DD has just spent 6 days in hospital. Being discharged on a Sunday afternoon meant that doctors were a bit thin on the ground and we didn’t actually get to speak to one but our discharge notes arrived. I asked about keeping her off school for an extra day and the nurse said to send her back whenever I felt she was ready. However, with the new rules about school attendance, I’m not sure if I can actually keep her off for any extra days without an explicit doctors note. Will I get a fine if I do this?

My GP is more or less unreachable at this point so I’m not sure that that is an option. I would be rolling the dice on getting through the online triage system.

Just keep her off

Is she fully recovered?

How old?

What does your DD want to do?

Is she fully recovered?

She’s 11 (y7), and is still quite sore from a lumbar puncture. She’s not confident in being able to carry her bag around.

i think you can ask for a sick note of some sort from the nurse. The hospital offered to write me a note to take a week off work post op.

I don’t know which way to vote as you haven’t defined which is which.

I think after a 6 day hospital stay you should keep her off for at least another week (week following is half term isn’t it?). I would call the school about maybe needing a phased return starting the week after half term (two weeks from tomorrow).

You have every right to keep your child home if you feel she is not up to a full school day. You don’t need a doctors note. There is no requirement.

Keep her off . She has just come out of hospital . It’s exhausting for both of you

I'd say that if you as her parent don't feel she is well enough then you should keep her home. If she hadn't been in hospital but just felt unwell or had a sickness bug you'd keep her home without getting a doctors note.

You don't need a sicknote for a child. If she's not well enough for school just tell the school that and they will put it as authorised absence as she is unwell.

Seen you update, instead of phased return I would call them about excusing her from PE for a few weeks until lumbar puncture has fully healed and after that gentle exercise.

Also if I had spent a week in hospital it's unlikely I'd go straight back to work so I wouldn't expect a child to do so. Especially not for a full day where they don't have any autonomy over their day - by that I mean if I did go back to work but after an hour felt unwell I could stop or take a break or do whatever I needed but at school they are at the mercy of their teacher who may make them power through.

The school told me previously that I need a sicknote if it’s more than 3 days. We were authorised absent for the first 3 but the other days are showing as “unauthorised” until we provide the hospital discharge notes.

Just keep her off and ask via a consult for a note if you do actually need one. I would have thought the discharge note would be evidence in itself to cover the hospital duration.

I think definitely a day, ds 12 just out from hospital the other day after 5 days in and he was unsteady on his feet after being in bed and on so much medication for so long (suspected appendicitis). He was out in the afternoon, stayed off the next day then went in the following day with a note to say no pe or swimming and to stay in the school when they went to the pool because of the heat. They don’t get back to themselves for a few days after

School are being unreasonable, of course they don't need a sicknote after 3 days. Even an adult in employment can self certify for 7 days.

School can tell you that.

It isn't a legal requirement as she isn't in paid employment and isn't needing to certify for sick pay.

She's been in hospital. They did ache the when you are ready to be at home - not when you are fit and well.

I was in and out same day when I had major surgery. I was well enough to be home - had 3 more weeks off work (was signed off for 6 but well enough to do my job after 3).

Just ring school and say she's still unwell and give them ward telephone number if they want to contact them for a sick note.

This is ridiculous. What message are we sending our children. And I work in education!

Dear god what a world we live in when a school won't authorise absence for a child in hospital.

Make the choice for the best well being of your child.

That's ridiculous. Your child was in hospital. If they're stupid enough to take it further , I bet the LA will be delighted to waste time and money dealing with this when it's about a child in hospital.

I'd also look for another school. I wouldn't trust Anyone that pencil pushy with the wellbeing of my daughter.

This is from the dfe guidance for schools:

" In the majority of cases a parent’s notification that their child is ill can be accepted without question or concern. Schools should not routinely request that parents provide medical evidence to support illness. Schools are advised not to request medical evidence unnecessarily as it places additional pressure on health professionals, their staff and their appointments system particularly if the illness is one that does not require treatment by a health professional. Only where the school has a genuine and reasonable doubt about the authenticity of the illness should medical evidence be requested to support the absence. "

Good grief. The poor girl has been in hospital for 6 days and has had a lumbar puncture. Keep her off as long as necessary.

Email the school with the discharge notes if needed. Simply state something like this:
Dd has finally been discharged today and is now on the mend. Hospital have informed us that her recovery should not be rushed. She will therefore be absent for the next few days at least and we will then review on a day to day basis. Hopefully, it won't be necessary to plan a phased return to school but I will keep this in mind.

DD will of course keep up with any homework set. Kind regards.

You haven't taken her for a cheeky week abroad before the half term break. You have every right as a parent to keep her at home until she is well enough to return.

I would absolutely keep her off. It takes a while to build up your stamina/energy after a week in hospital. Cut yourself both some slack, take a day off, then reassess tomorrow evening

It’s so incredibly sad that you’re having to doubt yourself in this situation and worry about being fined because your child was in hospital! I would say definitely keep her off, she needs a day or 2 at home, hospital is quite a stressful experience but I understand your hesitation.

I just think the govt/ schools have lost the plot about attendance and it puts such horrible pressure on parents.

I was under the impression that this was due to the new rules about school attendance.

to be fair to the school I haven’t been able to ask them about tomorrow because we didn’t know when we were going to get out.

We had an (unrelated) email from the school last week to say the LA and DfE now have direct access to school attendance records.

I agree that it’s crazy - my work have told me to take another week off and it wasn’t even a hospital admission for me!

Ps: just sent a pic of your discharge note to the admin team so they can see she was only discharged today.

Call gp first thing and ask for a review.