Home Tutoring - local authority process

[Hendrixt]

Hi, sorry for the clumsiness as I’m a complete novice at this

I need some advice about how to obtain home tutoring for my 14yrs old daughter who is diagnosed anorexia and is accessing outpatient FBT through CAHMS.

Her mental state has recently deteriorated and she is now in the 4th week of what seems is developing into an extended period of absence from school.

We have been trying to work with the school and CAHMS to get her back in school but the response is slow from them and it seems our daughter is really too poorly to attend. She has now missed a lot of school since diagnosis in May.

We have asked the school to apply to the local authority for alternative educational provision, namely hone tuition, but the school are declining to do so at this point, despite the local authority’s duties to provide this under the Education Act, so we are considering taking it up direct with the local authority ourselves.

I feel we need to educate ourselves to be able to negotiate our way around this as it seems a daunting process. Indeed, a House of Commons select affairs community in 2018 recommended that parents should be able to access advocacy in these cases.

Can anyone advise as to any resources/ materials which I could research to help me through this, or whether there are any advocacy services who could help, or even better, anyone with experience of going through the process.

I have been able to find general information such as the relevant statutory guidance but this does not help in preparing our approach and how to deal with the school and local authority.

rather than sit and wait for LA to to anything, start educating now. Different ways to do it. You can use rescources/ books etc yourself. Or online schooling works?
ds was struggling at mainstream (ASD), we pay ourselves to use an online school instead. We have contacted the LA and they know what were doing. Weve just moved to another county and awaiting them to reply as we re asking can they fund/part fund it? Not every county does though (weve moved to a county that does use online as alternative provision, so using that as a start point.)

That’s something to consider. We’re hoping this is going to be short term maybe 3 months so we’re trying to get the school to provide it themselves so that keeps a link with the school, to prepare for reintegration. If the school won’t do it well have to look elsewhere- thanks

Have you been informed of who your named contact at the LA is? I should think that person must be the place to start. Once the school has informed the LA that she has missed / will miss 15 days of school, then the LA ought to keep on top of things and drive the process, rather than waiting for the school to figure out what she needs and apply for it.

I don't have any experience I am afraid, but it seems to me that is the point of the statutory guidance, that the LA itself needs to intervene promptly and decisively.

Id make contact with the home ed officer yourself OP. dont wait. when it comes to stuff like this, you need to badger!

Thanks - its a good idea to push along with it. The school are having a professionals meeting next week. If the actions don't include informing to LA then I will be doing it myself

I was actually trying to find out what decision making processes the LA goes through but maybe I can find that out from the attendance team at the LA

@Hendrixt you need to contact someone high up in Children's Services- Director? - and explain that your child is missing education because the school is not reasonably acting to provide it. You could formally, in writing, request EOTAS (council tutor, "Educated Other Than At School") which is very much different to EHE or Elective Home Ed; EOTAS puts the responsibility on the council to provide the education and will make it easier to get back into school if that is what your family wants in the future. Definitely try to get advice from IPSEA though so you can word any letters in a way that makes your legal standpoint clear. People have sued councils for not providing an education so they should take notice.
Don't let them offroll (push you into home ed) if this isn't what you want as it washes their hands of responsibility to your daughter.

That's great advice aspergersmumj thanks so much. I've just been on the IPSEA wesbite - had never heard of it. Will definately pursue this