Teenage depression

[Sarey73]

14 yo just been diagnosed with depression, all stems from an ex boyfriend who we (parents) discovered is a drug addict. Daughter has been self harming and can barely go to school, also elements of bullying. Desperately in need of a fresh start at a new school with her best friend, however this is the school he goes to. I have messages of him trying to sell her drugs and disgusting sexual requests, have gone to the police about it. Question is, do I try and send her to this school but tell the school everything in the hope they expel him? Can they??? At a complete loss about it all

[ElasticElsa]

Talk to the school, they can tell you what they will or won't do. Also get the bullying addressed asap. Have you taken her to the gp re the depression ?

[60andsomething]

no, they won't expel him, why would they? he is their student - they will support him. That is their job

[PurpleBugz]

The school won't do anything. If she attends there and he then behaved inappropriately then maybe they will do something. Some schools would do nothing.

Having been a "depressed" self harming teen I would like to just say be aware that the problem isn't your child. Being told you are depressed sounds like you are being told there is a problem with you and you must fix it. This made me feel worse for years and years. Obviously I had very different things causing my "depression" but a big part of my 'recovery' was realising anybody would feel shit if they lived through what I lived through- the problem wasn't me the problem was I wasn't protected or supported. It was like a switch on my head switching off all he self dislike amd feeling I'm not doing good enough and moving into a phase of acceptance and healing. Swimming with the tide not against it. Make sure your daughter knows this. Depression is a chemical deficiency in the brain- her brain chemistry didn't cause her ex bf to act like that or kids to bully her at school- this isn't her fault. Her feelings came from what happened to her, is completely natural and nothing to be ashamed of this isn't her fault.