Advice please, school are saying ''unauthorised absense' when they phoned me up to collect my child (school refusal, long story)

[Marne]

Dd2 is 6 and has ASD, she's in a MS school and up until 2 weeks ago she was doing great.

Due to a big c8ck up at schoo resaulting in a change of teachers 5 times sinse September my dd2 has been very unsettled due to no routine and lots of changes.

Last week she refused to go to school, she went in for 2 half days but the other days i could not get her in (she kicked me and tore her clothes off), i spoke to the head and she told me 'not to force her and not to worry', of course i have been worrying as i want her at school, when she's at home i can not get anything done as i need to watch her 24/7.

This morning i managed to get her into school but at lunch time i was called to pick her up as she was upset and asking to go home. Now i have been told it will go down as 'unauthorised absense', surely if the school phoned me to collect her then it is 'autherised'?

I'm now worried sick that all the time she has had off over the last 2 weeks, where the head has said 'don't worry, don't make her come in' will go down as 'unauthorised absenses'.

I dont know what they expect me to do, i am trying my best to get her in and when i do get her in she's sent home. I'm pulling my hair out at home with her, she's destroying the house, i have to keep doors locked or she emties tooth paste, sugar, eats the contents of the fridge etc.., i'm tired and struggling to cope with her at home, do they think i want her at home?

Where do i stand with this?

I am hoping she will go in for a full day tomorrow.

Veritate is absolutely right. This is tantamount to unauthorised exclusion. Are the school liaising with the local SENCAN office because they absolutely should be as currently she is not able to access the curriculum.

I wonder if her top-up funding has been reduced. If she came as a managed moved from another school, she would probably have had a dowry or premium for a certain period. Or if her increased needs owing to all the staff changes) means the school is no longer able to use her TA for additional tasks as well as supporting her.

Self-referrals to educational welfare officer and unlawful exclusions

I'm so sorry to hear that there is no suitable schooling near you.

I would insist on a meeting with class teacher, senco and head to organise a reintegration plan.

If it has been fantastic, it can be fantastic again.

Have you investigated play therapy, as you dd is high functioning she may find it very beneficial.

This is definitely an unlawful exclusion I would say (I am a HT). Do you have a caseworker at the LA who managed the statement ink process? Document everything and inform them, if not phone IPSEA (google their website). Let the HT know politely hat you are dong this. It's really serious to unlawfully exclude a child, IMHO, and a statements child even more so.

Sorry for typos...statementing not ink....etc