Post 16 online education

[Greenfull]

Hi guys, I am looking for some advice please regarding my daughters college. So basically my daughter suffers badly with anxiety including social anxiety. She was due to start college on the 2nd of sept but her anxiety got the better of her and she hasn’t been able to go. She is wanting to do an online course through Open Study College, which she can do at home. It’s a year long course and she’ll gain a recognised qualification at the end, which is NCFE CACHE level 3 award. It’s all assignment based so she doesn’t have to have a placement. I’ve been trying to speak to Bradford Education through Bradford Council as well as Universal Credit to confirm if this course is ok for her to do and is classed as her being in education and inline with the legal requirements as she’s is 16 and has to stay in full time education until she’s 18. However I am getting absolutely nowhere! I was passed from pillar to post when I contacted my Local Authority which is Bradford Council, I spoke to 5 different people who were clueless and had no idea who I needed to speak to and just told me Education is a big department! I was so shocked that they didn’t have a clue! Universal Credit haven’t got back to me either as I need to also know if they accept the course as her being in education so that I don’t lose the money I get for her. Can anyone please help me at all, has anyone been in a similar situation that can advise me? Any help would be greatly appreciate as my daughter is getting more anxious waiting to find out if she can enrol on this course or not. She is trailing medication to help her anxiety and also starting counselling. She is also on a waiting list for an adhd diagnosis.

I can't answer your question but I am in the same position with my daughter and UC so would be interested to know the answer. Not sure if online is right for her though as feel like she needs to get used to being out in the world.

I do believe it has to be at least so many hours of taught by a teacher though so not sure it would count unfortunately

Was she in school or being home educated for year 11? If she was home educated you should still get child benefit if she is studying and working towards qualifications. If she was in school for year 11 then sadly you will not receive the child benefit and UC could also stop www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19

Thank you for your responses. She was in school in year 11 but her attendance wasn’t great because of her anxiety….We have a letter from the doctor explaining her difficulties, it states she struggles with leaving the house and classroom based learning because of severe anxiety. I’m thinking how can they discriminate against us by reducing money when my daughter suffers with mental health. She isn’t going to be sat at home doing nothing either she wants to enrol on an online course that will give her the same qualification as she’d get if she was sat in a classroom. I’ll have to see what happens, but it doesn’t seem fair.

I am not sure but maybe if you can get her on a tutor led course online it would be ok. Also Google academy 21, has to be referred by a school I believe though.