Please help I am about to be fined for Ds lateness

[Skylar123]

I need to find medical evidence that Ds's anxiety is causing his frequent lateness/recent school refusal.

Does this count as evidence;
Consultant Paed report states -

In my view Ds does exhibit significant symptoms of ASD but I believe there are other significant comorbidities in particular, his anxiety state which seems to be affecting him quite a lot particularly in preventing him going to school.

It then goes on to say that Ds should be referred to CAMHS asap.

Camhs reports says-
There are concerns that Ds is experiencing anxiety. I think that his anxiety is directly linked with ASD, not mental health issues. Ds becomes particularly anxious and shows particular difficult behaviour associated with this, at the time when he is to go to school. It is clear that Ds does not want to go to school and it is likely that Ds is finding school a very difficult place to be, given his difficulties.

Please can anyone tell me if any of this can count as medical evidence Ds anxiety is the reason he is often late for school.

Thank you

Really polter do you think so.im going out of my mind here. Thank you for reply. I feel a little better now. I hope the EWO thinks so too.

Sounds like evidence to me too!

Have you put in a Parental Request for a statutory assessment?

With CAMHS putting statements like that in writing you should!

Hi ineed yes we are expecting proposed statement very soon. Thanks
I spoke to EWO earlier and said I didn't have anything with regards to evidence only that he has high anxiety , not that it is the anxiety that is making him late, but after sifting through I see that I do.

One of the reasonable adjustments made by Dd3's school is that she goes in after the other children. She is usually there before the register closes though.

We have had issues with one teacher all year who keeps telling her she is late! It hasnt made her any quicker or keener to get to school, it has just made her hate the teacher!!

Some times adults can be very foolish! Just stand your ground.

Good luck

Thank you

With children, that's about as medical evidency as it gets, Skylar.

And one of the biggest flashpoints for DS1 used to be the yard full of parents and excited kids at the beginning and end of the day. Delivering him through the staff & visitor entrance, either before or after the other children piled in, made a huge difference. It also made a direct hand over to his 1:1 possible when he was younger and needed that.

There's so many possible reasonable adjustments that don't cost a penny, so long as the culture of the school can get any pre-occupation with "rules" and "standing out" out of its backside.

So true and thank you for your useful post.
Sch have allowed Ds to come in earlier to avoid the hustle and bustle of the rest of his class but as we still have the assesmbly barrier (assesmbly is every day) that they are not willing to support him with it makes no difference. I'm asking them to help with assembly and he can get to sch on time before assembly but they won't. They have said they won't do anymore. I'm guessing I need to get a professional to ask rather than me asking for little adaptions all the time. My Ds won't express himself to anyone else but me and even I have a job getting stuff out of him. So I'm the one that knows what the issues are and I relay it to the school.
They think he is just being a diva but he has autism why on earth would he want to be in a crowded room hemmed in the middle of a load of kids. Couldn't they even try letting him sit on the end/next to teacher? No too much to ask apparently. Ds has told teacher many times before he doesn't want to go to assembly and she has told him he has to everyone does, fair enough but at least try and work out why. they think he is just being controlling and has got his way far to much already with me going in getting him time out breaks and buddy systems put in place.

Our ASD advisor was sensible, regarding assemblies. Her advice was, if he can't do it, don't make him do it.

DS1's new school simply has smaller, more informal gatherings because most of the boys there have similar difficulties. It probably helps that it's not bound by all the half cocked nod to collective worship nonsense (ironically, it's run by a religious group, but not one that goes in for major acts of group worship)

Do you have an OT on board? Sitting still in an echoey hall with dozens, or even hundreds of other sweaty, sniffling kids with sharp elbows is sensory hell

Yes ouryve we have OT and seeing her this week hoping she can make some recommendations for me so school listen.
Our asd advisor has been really helpful In past but not seeing her for a while as far as I know

Par for the course. Remember where you are in the statutory process. If the behaviour/need can't be denied then deny the most likely cause of the need/behaviour. Not 'caused' by ASD my arse. Clearly recognised ASD anxiety manifest around school.

Refute in writing and then ignore.

'I need to find medical evidence that Ds's anxiety is causing his frequent lateness/recent school refusal.'

You can't. And make sure you refuse to try. DS' frequent lateness is not due to anxiety nor school refusal but of inadequate educational provision making him frightened to attend. You have requested a statutory assessment to establish need and provision to meet that need. You have done therefore, all within your power to ensure your child's welfare and education.

Oh now I'm really confused . What should I do as letter from school says if Ds lateness (unauthorised attendances) goes up to 21, it is now on 15, I am going to get fined. EWO has confirmed this. His lateness (unauthorised attendances) was originally at 56!! They have put it down to 15 as stated in the most recent letter from school.
EWO asked if I had any evidence that anxiety was causing Ds lateness. I just called her to say I did and now she says it's not for her as she would only become involved if I was being prosecuted, which at this stage I am not.
School have not asked for evidence they just state that the nature of Ds special needs does not support the number of unauthorised attendances.
What would be the best way to make any late arrivals become authorised. Would the quotes from paed and camhs as posted above be sufficient do you think.
Shall I just ignore and do my best to get him in on time as always or should I reply, should I just wait for proposed statement . Maybe if I send them copies of the above reports (one of which they already have) they might leave me alone for a bit . Honestly all that is left to do is for some support in assesmbly and I'm pretty sure if everything that is currently in place plus assembly support he will get to school ok and on time.

"inadequate educational provision making him frightened to attend. You have requested a statutory assessment to establish need and provision to meet that need. You have done therefore, all within your power to ensure your child's welfare and education"

Repeat ad naseum, then rinse and repeat it again in all correspondence & conversations on the topic. The EWO can talk to the statutory assessment team who can ensure that your request for adequate reasonable adjustments for the beginning of the school day including assembly is written into the statement.

Ok so I should write to school and quote as star suggests -
"inadequate educational provision making him frightened to attend. You have requested a statutory assessment to establish need and provision to meet that need. You have done therefore, all within your power to ensure your child's welfare and education"
Should I also add that he was in a heap on the floor outside our front door at the prospect of having to go to assembly this morning and that it took me 15 mins to get him out of my car at school begging and crying to wait for assembly to be over or should I not focus on assembly at this point.

Thank you so much I really appreciate all the help I get on here I know some of it is so trival compared to what other mums go through. If it wasn't for MN I would never have come so far for Ds. I would have believed the codswallop I get told.

Send in the letters from medical professionals and send in the confirmation of SA, point out that the SA has been requested by you because school is not meeting his needs, so that needs investigating and therefore, dear jobsworth EWO, I would appreciate it very much if you would just talk to SEN provision, see what inclusion services could possibly help to make DS's school experience more positive for him or else kindly fuck off, please.

or words to that effect which won't get you labelled as That Parent.

I'm about to be labelled "that parent" after years of busting a gut to be "reasonable" . I've totally run out of patience and came perilously close today to saying "ODFOD" and walking out of DS's annual review. It was a farce even by carrot standards as the LA right hand doesn't seem to know what the left is doing.

OP I think you are also suffering due to poor internal communications. It shouldn't be your job to liase between different departments but it might be helpful to include the SN officer's name in your letter and copy it to her and then do the same with the EWO if you have to communicate about statement progress (eg when you confirm dates for any assessments etc).

Ah yes .... now is the time to do the great copying in of letters to everyone trick. EWO, SEN Team, School, Paediatrician, GP, Head of Children's Services (this one quite effective IME), Lollipop Lady, Nosy Mum in the playground etc etc. Ok, I am joking about the last two but you get the idea. If they do not communicate then you will have to do it for them and no-one can deny they are not aware of the problem. Plus the bombardment of letters means they may actually do something to stop the deluge.

I am angry on your behalf skylar. Schools make my blood boil sometimes. It really isn't rocket science is it? With a few adjustments they could solve this
You have plenty evidence... Hope it works out for you

Would it help to mention the fact that your child has 56 latest not 15 Surely that shows how difficult an issue your DS has with school. It is weird that they have dropped it to 15.

Thanks everyone. I will write a letter and copy to all other profs.
EWO said I am not a case of hers so she doesn't need to discuss it with me anymore however the content of the schools letters have made me discuss it with her as they mention that she has instructed the letter I got about being fined if lateness gets any higher and that it was her decision to move Ds unauthorised attendances down from 56 to 15.

I think they need to code his late attendance to something else that means it does not go down as unauthorised.

Another day, another headache.

I have completely given up with trying to talk to school and ask for help in assembly they don't want to know.
They have said they will not do anymore. Get him In, end of. If he is anxious about assembly come and tell us after you have got him to the class.

Sorry to keep going on, can I just ask for your help on this matter once more.

I have drafted a letter that I am going to send to school and copy to other profs. Would someone mind reading through it for me and letting me know if it is ok. Pls feel free to change anything that needs adapting/deleting. Thank you

Dear school

Thank you for your letters dated such and such with regards to Ds unauthorised attendances and consideration of issuing a fixed penalty notice.

Obviously after working with senco so closely over a period of time and the school being aware of the difficulties associated with Ds dx of autistic spectrum disorder I am concerned that this would be your next course of action.

Ds is frequently late for school late because he is frightened of certain parts of the school day. He is very distressed at home in relation to this. I understand that he does not always show his difficulties at school as he internalises his fears and anxietys which greatly affects his emotional regulation.

I have requested a statutory assessment to establish need and provision to meet that need. With adequate educational provision in place ds's day at school will become less challenging and subsequently ensure that school can be a less daunting place for him.

I have done therefore, all within my power to ensure my child's welfare and education"

Please talk to the sen team (copied in this letter) who can ensure that my request for adequate reasonable adjustments for the school day including assembly is written into his statement.

I have enclosed copies of all recent letters relating to this matter and reports from paed and camhs highlighting Ds's anxiety and difficulties around attending school.

Regards, skylar

I want to try and be as polite as possible so not to fall out with them as it's difficult to communicate when parent/school relationship is broken.

As you can see I have included the wording added by MN poster already - thank you for this x

He is very distressed at home in relation to this - take this sentence out as it's an open invitation for a game of blame the parent.