Please can someone advise me on what I should do to get the school to take this problem seriously?
My DD-13- has (IMO) General Anxiety Disorder and Depression. I smit to being no expert on mental health, but I can read the leaflets I have been given by Young Minds etc, and I know my own child. But fair enough, they think I'm a bad Mum if they like. However, DD has been seeing the school councellor every week since October (if at school), a councellor at the Diabetes clinic when possible, and has now been referred to CAHMS by GP and councellor (first appointment tomorrow). Surely this is enough to show that it is a real problem not DD 'avoiding' school, and me being too 'soft' to make her attend. What else should I do?
DD has been off for 2 weeks(since half term) with Chicken Pox (which became infected -yuk!) but I told EWO last week couldn't see DD going to school before CAHMS as she is anxious about the appointment. Spoke to school this morning to confirm that DD would not be in til Thursday at earliest - 'we are very concerned about this - she is getting very behind!' (send some **ing work home then!). I calmly (for a change,lol ) said 'I am very concerned too, that is why she is seeing CAHMS, but if she does feel like coming in of course I will send her'
Last night I had DD crying and shaking as she finally admitted to me she is scared to go to CAHMS and tell them the whole truth as they will 'lock her up, or put her in care'. She also told me that - as well as not feeling safe outside the house,which we knew, she has for many years (she says since age of 3), been scared of a monster which she 'knows' lives upstairs in our house. She didn't tell anyone, because it is scared of adults as ling as they don't know about it - now I know it might not be scared and might 'get' me or her. She says she has to have something with her (pen, book,mobile) when she goes upstairs to protect herself. I have slept in her room for a long time now (years) but I thought this was because of her Diabetes (danger of night time low blood sugar has worried her) and that she would grow out of it when she hit her teens.
I believe DD's anxiety made much worse by being 'forced' to school, and also because she is aware of the consequences for me and DH if her non attendance. I have been told that her being 'too distressed to go to school is a legitimate reason, so why are they not more understanding?
Please can someone tell me - am I right to let her stay home? If I should send her, some advice on how to get a sobbing shaking child out of the front door would be helpful. If I am doing the right thing, how do I make the school see this? Would listing all her anxieties in writing help? (I suspect not, that is why I haven't before, but they have been given a report by EWO)
Sorry for such a long post - could have been much longer! If anyone has any advice TIA, think I'm falling apart myself here :(