Pastoral care at Private Schools- what is yours like?

[JessicaWakefieldSVH]

I have a DD at a top Independent in London. I don't want to share too much of her personal struggles, she has asked for help and not been given it a lot, we have had to organise it all ourselves, she has high functioning autism and depression.

What are your experiences of pastoral care at private schools? I have found this school, through local GP's ( plural ) has a huge problem with anxiety and mental illness. It's rife, and serious, and my DD and friends back that up. I have had two years of back and forth dialogue around that. I spoke to a lawyer about negligence it was so bad. I am pretty sure they haven't followed their own policies and my DH is now fuming after recent issues and wants to begin a complaints process.

Could I just ask other parents what their wellbeing policies are like? what kind of services your school has and what adjustments do they make for special needs etc

Thank you.

Tbh it can vary wildly. Some Indies are amazing, others are woefully poor.

Definitely worth lots of questions when you view school.

CraftyGin - but the OP is not blaming the school for causing her dd's mental health issues. She is blaming the school for not following school policies and for not responding appropriately to requests for help. I also don't think it is beyond the capacity of any school to let a child drop a fourth A-level without making such a song and dance out of it. It's not even as though the child had only just started at the school - she made it all the way through to the sixth form. Her mental health status should not be a surprise to anybody at the school after all these years.

@Oneforthepot is right. I know which school we are talking about too, and my DD is there as well albeit in a lower year. FWIW, DD is an anxious child (has had support from CAMHS in the past over several years in primary) and has had absolutely stellar support from the school in a number of ways. I don't recognise the picture the OP has painted at all. DD's tutor, her head of year and the head of the school have all responded really well to any problems that have arisen. DD has been assigned a buddy in an older year who has been really helpful in untangling issues that have arisen.

It is true that it's not the right school for every girl. It's not true that they don't support children with mental health issues, at least in my experience which has actually been outstanding.