Education Welfare Officer - Do I need to worry?

[ChildrenOfTheDamned]

I had a voicemail from dd's school earlier saying that EWO has been in touch because dd has been off so much this term. The EWO is going to send me a letter but the school asked her to hold off until they've contacted me to see if I might have a letter from the GP proving why dd was off and that she attended the doctor

DD is 8 and in year 3. So far since the beginning of term she's had Cystitis which had antibiotics for, then infected eczema on her hands (was very painful) which she had antibiotics for and antibiotic cream, then she had the flu, and now she currently has Impetigo which she's had antibiotics and antibiotic cream for. In total she's had around 13 days off school (not all at the same time) including today, and probably tomorrow. I'm hoping the Impetigo will be cleared up enough to go back on Monday.
Obviously that is quite a bit of time since the beginning of September. But in contrast last year she had 100% attendance. We went to the doctor around 2-3 times to get the antibiotics (3 separate rounds)! I don't have proof of the appointments but I did take photographs of her antibiotics and creams which have her name and the dates on. Would this be enough proof do you think? TBH after the way the whole attendance fines have been in the news I anticipated something like this happening so I took the photographs.

My friend had a visit off the EWO last week unannounced her DS had been off 7 school days.

13 days is a huge amount of time off since September.

I would contact them and explain why your child has been off so much. They are being made to look into cases more fully after recent child protection issues.

Thanks, I will contact them. Do you think it will help if I suggest they contact her GP themselves to confirm we saw her several times?

Oh I forgot to mention, last night was parent's evening and DH went to see dd's teacher. He mentioned that she'd been off a lot this term and we were concerned she would be behind. Her teacher said there was nothing to worry about in terms of her being behind, she was doing well and keeping up with the other children. She also said there was "nothing of concern in the register about her attendance" and we shouldn't worry, just concentrate on getting her better. And then this morning I get a phone call about her attendance.

Your child has been unwell. It has clearly not been a bit of a sniffle or a slightly sore throat!
I would make a list of each absence, reasons and when medical advice was sought.
They will want to check the reasons for the absences. I would mention they can contact your GP (not sure GP would deal direct with EWO.)
They will probably want to check there is no problem with school refusing or bullying etc.
Sorry she has been so ill. Clearly impetigo is very catching and proper flu is awful. Does she need to be off whenever she's on antibiotics though?

X post.
Just goes to show the visit is an automatic thing triggered by the number of days off rather than the school being worried she's taking unnecessary time off!

Wolfiefan no she's not actually off because she's on the antibiotics it's just she was so ill whilst on them. Each time she's gone back as soon as she's able and is still taking the antibiotics when she goes back.

I'm probably just getting myself in a tizz over nothing. It's not like she's a school refuser or anything, she just happens to have been ill quite a lot since going back. Her attendance is normally very good, and according to her teacher the school aren't concerned anyway. I do keep them up to date all the time, I ring every morning to let them know how she is and whether she'll be in or not.

I can't imagine the EWO will actually do anything apart from sending a letter out, it's not like I'm jetting off on exotic holidays during term time! Sometimes I just let my anxiety get the better of me.

A lot depends on where about you are. In our authority the EWO is triggered by 80% unauthorised attendance which isn't the same as illness. We have a child who needs an EWO but we have to pay for it and it isn't cheap! The thing I find odd is that the teacher didn't think there was a problem! That is an awful lot of time off and is going to have had a massive impact regardless of the reason that they were off.

I expect it was automatically raised as a child going from 100% attendance to very poor can be a sign of underlying issues at home or at school.

However it can be worrying if a child has so many health issues in a row. Are they linked? Is she likely to be off more in the future in which case you might want a doctors note in her file so it doesn't get flagged up again.

Interesting that the teacher didn't see it as an issue -must've been flagged up on the computer system by the EWO.

It shouldn't be an ongoing health issue, she just seems to have had one thing after another. I'm not really sure why? Although I think if there was a concern the GP would have voiced it as she's had 3 lots of antibiotics in the past 6 weeks after going a few years without needing any.

I might call the EWO's office tomorrow and try to speak to someone.

poor girl is obviously very run down at the moment, I am sure you already do but maybe give her a very good multivitamin every day and perhaps some probiotics (not the yoghurts but actual powders or tablets) as she has had so many antibiotics. Antibiotics always make me a bit nervous as I find that once you have had antibiotics your immune system is then quite flattened.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/353953/Guidance_on_infection_control_in_schools_11_Sept.pdf

Just for future reference impetigo is no longer excludable unless covered - it's 48 hours from antibiotic treatment beginning or when lesions are crusted. In practice, the 48 hours is a better rule as kids pick!

EWO will just be routine. School will be asked to monitor to make sure things improve next half term. First half term is tricky as even a short illness can make the absence percentages look high even though at the end of the year it'll look much less. She's missed 13 out of 35-40 days which will look high as a percentage now but will fall as time goes on.

I'd look at changing your laundry detergent, stopping using fabric softener (if you do) and changing her bath products and shampoo, hand soap, the lot. Aveeno or Eucerin for the bath & never any bubble bath, Ecover, Surcare or waitrose do a sensitive detergent for clothes.