Home Ed for autistic year 11

[Choccowoofwoof]

Hi everyone, just after some advice and hopefully reassurance! My 15 year old daughter (due to start year 11 next week) hasn’t attended school properly since before lockdown she tried going back to school in September 2020 after lockdown but it was and still is horrendous- massive anxiety and panic attacks daily, OCD behaviour- (checking her bag to make sure all her 17 pens worked “incase one runs out” etc etc) we saw a child psychiatrist privately and she was diagnosed with Aspergers. (We are on the waiting list for CYPS but this has been since January and we are unlikely to be seen before December) School have put measures in place to try and help - no tie, no PE lessons, part time timetable (but always pressured to increase it) . At the end of year 10 we were thrown a lifeline and that was that she could go to the local college and do her year 11 there, doing an art course alongside English, maths and science (GCSE or functional skill level) and she seemed keen to try it, until yesterday when I contacted the college to find out start dates/ times etc as I hadn’t heard from them and I got an email back to say that unfortunately due to funding and staffing there is no place for her! (This was after I was told there definitely was in July) . I’m now feeling so stuck and don’t know where to turn to next as she’s obviously not just going to miraculously decide to return to school next week. Socially, she doesn’t really go out with friends (maybe once a month at most she’ll meet up with her friend) the rest of the time she’s with me - we spend a lot of time doing walks/national trust etc and she spends a lot of time with her brother (14), I do worry that she’s not socialising enough. I’m thinking she might benefit from volunteering in a charity shop to give her some confidence. Anybody in the same boat ? Thanks for reading xxx

My daughter developed panic disorder and agoraphobia in year 9. It was a difficult few years. I got her seen by a private CAHMS psychiatrist as nhs was terrible. I'm still waiting.Anyway she's about to start online school Kings InterHigh for her A levels next week. I'm paying but maybe you could get an EHCP and your local authority pay.

Just wanted to say also about the socialising that KIH offer very flexible timetables which offers more scope to do other things. My daughter is now about to get a job. We tried the local college but they pile a load of other unnecessary lessons on top and just doing the key A levels in class is more than enough for her.

Hi Honkeytonk, thanks for your reply, sorry to hear about your daughters panic disorder and agoraphobia. We looked into online schooling last year but our daughter really didn’t like the idea of video lessons and thought she’d struggle doing it by herself, however that was a year ago so it might be something to consider again. We’ve also been looking at the national extension college for gcse as they literally just send you the coursework for you to work through at your own pace.

If you don’t actively want to EHE, but feel you have no other option due to DD’s needs there is an alternative.

If DD cannot attend school full time the LA have a statutory duty to provide suitable, full time alternative education under s.19 of the Education Act 1996. This should already be in place, is it? Part time timetables should only be used short term with the aim of reintegration. If DC can’t attend full time other provision should be in place nstead of or as well as.

In addition, you can apply for an EHCNA. A benefit of this is in can include assessments such as SALT, OT, MH assessments without the need to sit on the normal waiting lists. And an EHCP can provide tuition and therapies in excess of what is otherwise typically available, again without the need to sit on waiting lists.

Hi, so sorry for not replying to your comment sooner Thatsnotmycar . The last few days have been awful and I haven’t been on here. I’ll definitely be looking into the EHCNA which is something I’d never heard of, so thanks for that. Today I’ve been contacted by a teacher at school, basically bullying me into getting her back in tomorrow, “She MUST attend, MUST do all the work and I told you this was the case” sitting in tears right now with the whole situation

DD absolutely does not have to attend full time if her mental health prevents her from doing so. Don’t be pressured in to sending her when you don’t think she is able to.

IPSEA and SOSSEN have lots of helpful information about EHCPs on their websites, including a model letter you can use to apply for an EHCNA. They both have advice lines too.