Quick help needed re excluding child from SS

[barstewards]

My friend has asked me to post here for her (she has difficulty using forums due to her own health problems).

Her 15 yr old son (ASD, non verbal) has been struggling at his special school (daily meltdowns, damage to school property etc) since the return from summer holidays. Previously he has always loved school, he's been there for several years, but for some reason this year he has started to be very unhappy there. School have called my friend in more than once and told her they think that in their words 'something must have happened' over the holidays to cause this . However his behaviour at home hasn't changed at all, and he's currently a lot happier and calmer at home than school.

Today she was asked to collect him early as the school said they could no longer cope with his behaviour. Friend has been told not to send him tomorrow and to wait until the school have decided what to do next.

What should she do, is this even legal? I thought it wasn't allowed to just send children home without following proper exclusion procedure, SS or not?

I'm guessing he has a statement, in which case, unless there is paperwork presented ASAP, it's an illegal exclusion.

I'd be wondering if he's having a problem with an individual or a routine at school, to be honest.

Yes he has a statement. I thought as much, my friend has been given nothing in writing just asked to collect him early and told not to send him tomorrow. Battery going flat but will get on laptop asap. Thanks for reply. Confirmed my suspicions!

Its been brewing for a while, she says. She has had to go into school more than once so far this term to discuss his behaviour, she has been unhappy with how they've been dealing with it, she feels their interventions are escalating it and has told them so. She also agrees that something is going in in school thats causing this but is hitting a brick wall with trying to find out what, as the school are of the opinion that 'something has happened' at home.

Not wanting to drip feed but my friend has also been quizzed last week, for the second time, about severe stretchmarks that he has (related to his suspected hypermobility, awaiting proper assessment) which look like whip marks according to school staff. She provided a letter from a consultant last year when the school first asked, which said the marks are stretchmarks. So she feels very anxious and defensive now and the trust is pretty low between her and the school.

So what should she do tomorrow? He goes in a taxi provided by the LA which presumably isn't going to turn up so she can't just take him in anyway.