Meeting - reported to Children's Services!

[Sunshineandpool]

So I attended a meeting today for my Y8 DD who is unable to attend school.

I had an agenda typed up as the school never have one and the meetings are all over the place. But the headteacher completely dominated the meeting while the other staff members sat there looking tense and a bit frightened and said nothing. I did insist on the learning mentor being allowed to speak at one point and she did support me but was obviously really on edge and very carefully chose her words - she spoke a sentence, the headteacher tried to correct her but fair play to her she told the truth and said no, that she was correct in what she had said.

My main aim for the meeting was to secure section 19 provision and get the school on board for applying for an EHCP. None of that happened as the head teacher dominated the meeting by reading out the entire plan they had made (even though everyone had already seen it.) The plan is that I sit in reception with my DD until she is ready to go to lessons and if I take her home it will be marked as unauthorised. So essentially I have to sit in reception all day with my daughter.

Then she goes on to say that my DD's issues are nothing to do with her autism or anxiety but are caused by me. And she is reporting me to Children's Services. I commented that the Educational Psychologists report completely disagreed with that and she just said that the Educational Psychologist 'didn't have all the background.' Also how is it all down to me when I bring my DD into school and then she becomes mentally distressed while she is at school??

What should I do next?

Will the school senco support your application and do you have reports from other services that document your daughter's needs ? If so I would make the application anyway. I did a parental echp request as the school were dragging their feet and wanting to wait until my son was assessed by an EP. We were accepted for the assessment and my son was given an ECHP in January this year.

Ignore the school blaming you. Use the referral to Children’s Services to gather further evidence and support for the appeal, s19 provision, health care support and social care support.

Focus on the appeal and securing s19 provision. You don’t need the school’s support for either. The relationship has clearly irrevocably broken down.

For the unauthorised absences, follow up the meeting with an email reminding them the DfE’s attendance guidance states absences because the pupil is unable to attend due to illness (both physical and mental health related) the absence should be authorised. Carry on by saying the regulations (School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024) make clear where a pupil is absent because they are unable to attend due to sickness the absence must be regarded as authorised. Go on to say that as DC is not receiving an alternative education under s.19 of the Education Act 1996 and an EHCNA has only recently been requested the school and LA could have done and still can do more to support DD with her needs arising from her disability.

Thus far they have not supported us. I made a request myself as I could never get to speak to the SENCo. The SENCo told the LA they could meet DD's needs and didn't provide evidence they'd used the graduated response so it was turned down. But I am appealing. Yes, I have documents from the child development centre, the Educational Psychologist and the school nurse.

The sad thing is I get on so well with all the LSAs, teachers, Learning mentors, the Senco, even the flipping receptionists! DD has friends too. Unless she can get into a SEN school there is no other school suitable. It just feels very much like they are trying to off roll DD because I dared to make a complaint!

But yes, thank you for the advice I will see the referall as a way to get more evidence. I think I have enough from the education Psychologist, child development centre, school nurse etc. to show to CS for them to see the issue isn't me, plus I'm clearly not with her at school and got lots of evidence to show she's not coping.

I've sent that information to the school before but they just say the LA supports their choice to mark her absence as unauthorised. You can quote policy or law at them until you are blue in the face. Their response is 'this is how we do it and if you don't like it you can find another school.' And I suppose the headteacher would say she isn't mentally unwell (I expect she thinks she knows better than DD's GP) and I am just keeping her at home.

We have the school nurse coming to our house on Monday and then an appointment with the children's mental health practitioner at the GP's on Tuesday.

Be careful trusting staff too much even if they appear friendly. For example, the SENCO could clearly be more supportive.

Copy your email in to the LA. Remind them it is a legal requirement. You could look at enforcement via a pre-action letter then JR. Or you could ignore knowing the LA will not get anywhere with prosecution if they try.

Yes, I completely agree the SENCo is not being as supportive as she could. My assumption is she has barely anytime for the SENCo role due to teaching (which obviously is the school's issue) but I find it strange how she never says a word in meetings. Doesn't even try to get a word in edge ways round the Head. She should be making the plans for my DD but she just let's the Head and Deputy Head do it for some reason. It was always the SENCo at my DD's Primary - we never had a meeting with the Head and it worked much better.

I keep swinging between the 2 thinking well there's no way they'd get anywhere prosecuting me. And then worrying but what if...