School Absence

[Vixentor]

Need advice please.
Personally, it is extremely hard to even talk about our issue, but here goes....
Our daughter has experienced an awful lot in a few years, including losing both her Godparents, her Daddy's struggle with PTSD and anxiety, being subjected to repugnant racism, anti-social behaviour, and intimidation, at her school, and ESPECIALLY, nearly losing her Mummy to Covid-19 pneumonia.
She is still trying to process this tsunami of events, and we are engaged in obtaining mental health support for her.
At the time when her Mummy contracted Covid-19 pneumonia, (whilst working as a nurse), the whole family got Covid-19, but her Mummy spent 10 days fighting for her life, and a further 18 months recovering from significant 'long Covid'.
Our daughter, even thought at the time, and the thought remains with her, that she might have been made an orphan!
These events have not only affected our daughter's mental health, but also her physical health, and her immune system.

Our daughter's spirits were lifted recently, when she found out that our cousins from the USA, were coming to the UK in early September, in what is likely to be, (due to our cousins advanced years, - late 70's), a "one off" visit.
Our daughter last saw her cousins, in 2012, and she is particularly close to one of those cousins.

We did not determine the dates of this visit, it was arranged by our cousins, but all our family members agree that this visit is going to be a huge lift to our daughter's fragile mental health.

We put in an 'Authorised Absence' request to our daughter's school, (3 days), citing extensive and compelling "Exceptional Circumstances' for the request, including all the issues that I have stated in this message.
We were absolutely astounded when the school turned down our request, saying that the absence was unauthorised, because the request was not "in line with policy, this, (request), is not deemed to be exceptional”??!!

This request refusal has only served to exacerbate our daughter's fragile mental health, and caused massive distress, (and anger), in our family!
We believe the refusal response from the school is totally devoid of compassion, and understanding.

I have taken advice thus far, to write to the school governors, but the summer school holidays have meant that I have only received an acknowledgement that my complaint has been forwarded to the school governors and Head Teacher.

After a lengthy wait, our daughter now has an appointment to see our GP, to progress mental/medical assistance for our daughter.

I want to know what the GP can do to assist us in this exceptional absence request, as it will be crucial on our daughter's road to therapy/treatment/recovery?

Info
Number of unauthorised absences in the last 6 months = zero.
Attendance = 88.6%

IhearyouClemFandango

Thank you for your enlightening message.

Bless you

Didiplanthis

Such a lovely message, we appreciate your comments, and compassion.

Take care

Just call her in sick for 3 days.

No , unusual means not the norm not that I as a sample of people one didn't.

I think you need to separate two issues. As everyone has said, a three day absence probably won’t trigger any intervention, especially at the start of term, although the school will be aware of the recent academic year attendance figure.

I’m assuming that some of that low figure is connected to the issues to mention at the school in terms of racism, intimidation and anti social behaviour. That’s separate from the three day absence and if you aren’t happy with the response from the school with regard to your concerns, then looking at moving to a different school is an option, bearing in mind that it might not be a school that you would have initially chosen, or could be some distance away. It depends on whether there are places in your daughter’s year group.

I’m also assuming that you have had meetings with the relevant staff at school and have not had the outcome you hoped for. The other alternative is home schooling, should you choose that, as a short term or long term provision.

This won’t be authorised. And it shouldn’t be. That attendance figure is very low - she falls into persistence absence - coupled with really it’s just not a good reason. Family time with elderly family she hasn’t seen since she was 2.

If you choose to take her out, which you of course can do, expect it to be unauthorised.