Please help I have been told I have to home school my child

[Mystical1981]

my daughter (13) stopped going to school in year 8 she refused as she has social problems, mental health problems and sensory issues, self harm, we are currently in process for getting her tested for autism but a long wait and she is with cahms who have been rubbish! The school tried to put everything in place to make it easy for her to go to school including ear muffs, reduced timetables, card to get out of lessons etc but she still refused. The school were bombarding me with phonecalls, letters and threatening fines. Everyday I spent a long time trying ti encourage my daughter into school and ended up affecting me and I was going into work crying I was late all the time and nearly lost my job. My daughter is now year 9 all through the 6 weeks holiday she kept saying she was going to go back to school and couldn't wait to see her friends etc. School started she went in for the first day and hasn't been back since. The school sent someone from early help round who have told me I will need to home school her. The problem is I am a single parent of 2 children and I have to work part time otherwise I won't be able to pay bills or pay rent etc. I spoke to the job centre to advise them of this and they said I will still be expected to work and if not I will get sanctioned also I wouldn't know where to even start with home schooling. I know there are places that do homeschooling but I am struggling for money as it is and I don't think I can afford it. They also suggested she goes to alternative education that I have to pay for but I don't know where I'm going to find the money especially if I have to give up work. Anyone have any ideas as I feel like killing myself I'm so stressed.

This could be my daughter.
Last two years of high school.Self harm.
She got bullied. Didn't realise she was on the spectrum ( until now age 30) Grandkids are ASD.She saw CAHMs ( useless) .
She was sent school work home to do.
I didn't actually sit at a table with her and do it .
She just did it and her mental health improved. She was happy.
The work came every week.
She did on average 2 hours a day.Went in for GCSEs and got 8 good grades.
( Not that she's ever needed them) became a carer for Adults with SEN.
It can be done.
She can be left at home to do the work they provide.

No OP, don't panic. LA must facilitate your daughter's education. Don't be intimidated into them pushing her off the books as your daughter will suffer. Completely unacceptable for this to be suggested.

You are confusing home schooling where the LA are responsible and home education where you are. The LA will provide a tutor or an alternative provision such as online learning or a tutor coming to your home usually this will be only a couple of hours a week so you just need to be home then. If your dd uses an online provision you can still work if she goes to an alternative provision which btw is always at no cost to you you can still work. If you do decide to register and home Ed you can still work at age 13/14 you don't need to be there very much and school learning doesn't need to be 9-3 anyway.

She’s entitled to an education for her child, and one is being provided.

I can’t see that this is a useful route to try to head down.

@DragonFly98 This confusion is common. I thought, for a long time, that if mainstream didn’t work out for my DS, I’d have to give up work and home educate as I didn’t know the difference between home ed and EOTAS.

As others have written, EOTAS is paid for by the LA. The important thing is not to deregister as the responsibility for education then falls entirely on the parent. If a child is on the roll of a school, but cannot attend due to unmet needs, the LA is legally responsible and required to make alternative provision.

I wouldn’t use the terms home education or home schooling with the LA. They are likely to see either as EHE. Instead, request provision under s.19 of the Education Act 1996 for DC unable to attend school - that leaves no doubt about what is required. This provision should be more than a couple of hours a week (so long as that is in DC’s best interests) because a couple of hours is not a full-time education. Then use the term EOTAS for provision via an EHCP.

DS1 has a very expensive EOTAS package via his EHCP. The LA cannot compel a parent to be responsible for education. That includes relying on the parent to be a second adult at home. Even if that means the LA have to fund someone to provide that role.

Im curious to know the outcome of what happened with your child. Im currently going through the same thing, daughter stopped going in year 8, she is now in year 9, social and mental problem and suspected ASD, shes had no reffeal for a test but all services want to say ASD, im being bombared by the school and threatened with fines. Again CAHMS useless and only suggestion was to do "this is me" programme at school. I have had loads of appointments which the nhs have cancelled and appointments that i have had to cancel because she refuses to leave her room. She misses out on family life and her own social life, constantly in her room, i do not understand why it is being ignored and i feel like i am screaming out for help. I too feel like ending my life because it is too much, i struggle with my own mental health and i feel like this is breaking me. I have 2 other children to look after, single parent, part time job and no support network.
Please tell me there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The early help service cannot tell you to home school your child. Please email the head teacher and early support worker and early support manager and recap that conversation - they should get in trouble for that