DD's school threatening to refer to Education Welfare Service

[Peaceflower]

My 12 year old dd has never settled in school and on average has missed about 1 day a week since starting year 7. She has suffered from 2 panic attacks at school and been to see a Play therapist (stopped due to lack of funding). However she has been off school for almost 2 weeks (8) school days due to flu and I've received a letter about referring to the Education Welfare Service.

Part of me thinks "good, might get some help now", and the other wonders what can of worms is being opened. What am I in for?

Sorry just read previous post below on "offensive" letter, but would still like to know if anyone's had dealings with the Education Welfare Service, please.........?

In your case, it may well be a case of "good, might get some support". I have found EWOs range over a wide spectrum from the downright stupid to the extremely experienced and helpful. But they are good people to get on your side. And strangely enough I have found it easier to get support for panic attacks and school refusal than for chronic health problems as they tend to be more experienced about the latter.

What I would do would be to ring the EWO yourself and ask for support before they have time to ring you. That shows them that you are not one of those uncooperative parents that keep their children off on purpose (I expect they get those to!), but that you have a bona fide problem.

I think it will be good, when I trained as a teacher I shadowed one for a couple of days and he was very kind and helpful to families. Even ones with a dd who didn't go to school because she was on the game, along with her older sister (14) and her mother.

Ime Posie they are often better with the kind of scenario you outline, because they are used to it, than with things like disability, which they may not have as much experience of.

But someone who has suffered panic attacks should be right up their street, this is quite common in young teens.

In any case, I wouldn't worry about a few posts on MN relating negative experience: people who tell their experiences usually feel the need to do so because they've been upsetting, not because very little happened.

I've had some ghastly experiences of doctors, but it still doesn't mean I'm worried every time I have to take dd to a medical appointment. Most professionals ime are perfectly ok, it's just that the ones that aren't stand out like a sore thumb.

I've had some good support from EWOs.

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I'm a single parent and had to give up part time working because I kept having to take time off when she missed school.

I hope for a good outcome.