Has anyone had a visit from the attendance board?

[Purplerainbow2]

Ds1 is nearly 10 in year 5. He was diagnosed with asd when he was 5 privately. The nhs have been no help and won't diagnose him as he's too complex he suffers with severe anxiety that isn't getting any better, he is under Camhs. He has a drama therapist each week at school just him. He has anger management at school. He is in a nuture group. He has ocd tendencies and bad sensory issues (under the OT). There have been times over the years I couldn't get him on school. This last school year his attendance has slipped as school refusal became more often. Before Xmas I was told if it didn't improve they would contact esbas or whatever they are called. Most of January he was at home and the school eventually gave me some work for him to do at home. Attendance board were called and they went in to 'observe' him for a morning. I heard nothing and he got better and was going more regular. Half term was the worse ever, he didn't leave the house once. Yesterday refused school and I had call from attendance board saying someone was coming to see me Friday. She didn't even know he was under Camhs?! I spoke to school this am and they said of course they know as it went across on the paperwork. The lady on the phone was The one who observed him. She said she didn't know if e comes under behaviour or attendance.

She said when she observed him there were no behavioural problems so it would go under attendance?! I'm going to get his folder out Friday Nd let them read every single letter regarding both his mental health and physical health (under incontinence nurse due to soiling caused by anxiety). What can I expect? Are they going to have a go at me?? I don't feel like anyone is on my side apart from the OT. What can they do? I don't want to get in trouble with the law. My other son is in school so they can't say it's me stopping him can they??

Anyone ?

Can you get your GP to do a note saying he can't cope with school for medical reasons, i.e. his anxiety? Or is there anyone else like a paediatrician who can certify that If they will, not only will it get rid of any threat of prosecution as it will become unauthorised absence, but it will also mean that you're entitled to ask for home tuition.

Has he got an EHCP? It sounds as if he would definitely qualify for one.

The school have always refused the statement said he doesn't need it as they were coping with him. When. I heard the changes and now EHCP and that I could apply, they agreed at Xmas they would apply but said he prob wouldn't get it. The paediatrician is a waste of time, she has contradicted so much, mixed up his and his brothers medical record, a general nightmare so no way would she help!! The gp that knows us left, would other gps who don't know him do that though? Is it like a sick note an adult has for work? Or a typed letter? Not heard of this before.

How bad does it get before they prosecute? He is already under unauthorised absences.

If he can't cope with school, blatantly they aren't meeting his needs. You can apply for an EHC assessment yourself without waiting for the school - have a look at the IPSEA website for details of how to do it. I really think you need to do it, not least because it might at least make the Education Welfare Office think a bit before taking more punitive action.

Yes, it is a bit like a sick note, but ideally you need a letter explaining that he has major anxiety which means that he can't cope with school at the moment and that this is likely to continue unless and until his anxiety is addressed and his needs are met.

we have been in exactly this situation. Its awful as you have to deal with a child that is so anxious but you start feeling anxious due to Education Welfare putting pressure on you! I begged our GP to give a sick note (ds out of school and under camhs) but they refused. Camhs finally gave a letter this week to Education Welfare and they have now backed off. This gives us time to work on ds anxiety and hopefully get ds in a school that he can cope in (ehcp is just about to be finalised).
To give you a rough time frame. DS had authorised leave up to 1st Feb and by the 10th Feb the EWO was literally banging on our door unnanounced. DS leave turned to unauthorised on the 1st Feb. They then were quite aggresive in their approach, which I was shocked at. They will leave us alone now whilst CAMHS are dealing with ds. If your la is like ours, you have a matter of days before they start talking about taking action. Sorry if this is scarey for you to read. but if I were you start badgering the GP for a letter stating unfit for school. My experience was total opposite to ZZZZ so it may depend on lots of factors. Plus my ds was at 54% attendance, extremely low, so it may be why they stormed in heavy?

Well he was at 82% before Xmas, this year excluding half term he has had 9 days off. So alms of 2 weeks, has been in late a lot also. It is all unauthorised absence by the school.

No don't apologise for scaring me, I really want to hear others experiences. She sounded nice enough on the phone but she said she noticed no behavioural problems whilst she was there which says to me she already has made her opinion of the situation. She obviously didn't pay attention to the fact he doesn't have break in morning or lunch time with his peers in the hall and not allowed on the playground . It's hard at the moment as if he was crying saying he can't cope with school I would be ok ish about it. It's his sensory problems with his clothes that are stopping him going. The school said he can wear what he likes just to get him in but he won't wear different clothes to the others as 'it doesn't feel right' which I can understand. He says school is boring as they have taught him this stuff already. He is high functioning so very clever thankfully but he is now behind as they say they have no evidence in his work as he isn't there. Which I get. So he's gone from being a year ahead to at the moment not meeting the minimum expectation of his year. I said then there are major issues they aren't telling me about, they say it's because of the change of curriculum which Again I do understand.

What happens if they decide to 'prosecute' ? Is it a fine or a legal issue?

Bump

I would be amazed if they decided to prosecute in the circumstances.

As difficult as it must be I would try and regard it in a positive light.

Their job is to get children into school. Use them to get the school and the LA to support your child properly.

Welcome them into your house. Acknowledge that you share their concerns.

Show them all the efforts you have made to get your child into school - CAMHS letters, diagnosis, school meetings etc etc.

Then put the ball in their court and ask them how they are going to HELP.

P.S. If you haven't already put in a parental request for an EHCP plan - the school refusal is evidence enough that needs are not being met even if academically he is above average. He obviously needs a lot more support than he is currently getting to reduce anxiety levels so that he is able to attend.

So it isn't them that actually prosecute? Is it the LA that prosecutes? He's gone in today.... No issues what so ever. I just don't understand him at all at to moment. I think this is the reason why the school just don't believe me as one day he's hysterical and the next, no problems!

I hope they can help although I don't see how . Short of dragging him there...

Can't sleep for worry. The woman rang me this afternoon. She sounded annoyed she had to come tomorrow! Said she had to get to another school for 10am and we would only have 45 mins, as though I was putting her out!

Thanks zzzzz. She said we would have another meeting to go over this meeting ?! She also said she would need to do a pupils voice with ds at some point also. She said didn't matter if that was at school or at home. I don't want it taking place at school without me there, they can't stop me going can they? I sps they can if its on school ground?

When they went in to 'observe' him last month in school for apparnatly 1.5 hours I wasn't allowed to tell him (fair enough) but wasn't allowed any information about it, I kept asking the head (as I was worried) and she just kept saying 'they will be in touch'. I will tell her today then that I want to be there when she does the pupil voice with him if he's at school that day.

Why not ask the attendance person to press school to do the EHCP? Result?

I have been threatened with court due to lateness in the past, so do understand. If they want to help, now is their chance.

Oh, and smile sweetly when asking

She was actually nice to my surprise. She said about the legalities but said they won't do anything with that until a support plan is written out which she is coming back to do Wednesday. When I said a lot of the issues are ds can't cope with the extra pressure since the curriculum changed and how all school go on about is Sats and making him do sats paper all the Time when he's only year 5 not 6, he can't cope with all his anxiety. She sympathised and said she used to teach secondary until last year and came out due to hating seeing the stress put on year 11 students so can imagine what it's like for younger ones ESP with anxiety. She did say she could see I was doing everything I could to get ds in which I guess is the first hurdle