School refusal - LEA obligations?

[Ampersand44]

Our DS (8 - ASD, very recent diagnosis) has been refusing school increasingly. Spent most of last month of term out of school, only been back one hour last week and half an hour this week. Due to meet with autism team soon. In meantime tearing our hair out. Multi-disciplinary meeting next week to discuss his IEP as the one done last term is out the window now, and we and school have requested statutory assessment (awaiting decision).
My specific question is does anyone know if the LEA has a legal obligation to provide home tutoring at this stage, or at any stage for that matter. Just trying to find ways to get through the immediate crisis - I may be freelance but still have to work and try and keep him engaged with the world!

In our area the LEA provide up to five hours a week home tutoring or tutoring in a special unit with other children who have similar difficulties. They will only offer it if the child is not attending school at all and it is always with a view to getting the child back in to school asap.

If you contact your local Parent Partnership group they will have lots of advice on what's available in your area and who is best to talk to. Although they are employed by the council it is their job to support you at times like this. Our local one has been brilliant.

Hi

You need to stop refrring to it as school-refusing.

Calling it that sends out all the wrong messages - i.e. that it's a decision made by your child and therefore a behavioural issue. The LA / School then start to say the answer is for your child to change his behaviour. I expect school first called it by that term.

Children who refuse to go to school do so for a reason - they may feel unsafe there or not understand what's required of them there if they are ASD and almost always this is because of lacl of support from the school in meeting their needs.

So you child is quite reasonably refusing to go to a school that can neither understand or meet his needs - that's the line you need to adopt.

The LA have no responsibility to provide home tutoring in this situation. they only provide that for children who are unable to attend school for medical reasons.

The school and LA have the legal duty to identify, assess and support his SENs. You have taken the first step in making them face their responsibility by applying for a Stat Assess - well done.

You need to make a list of what school needs to do to make the school accessible to your son and start demanding it. If they refuse to provide it you have additional evidence for the statementing process.

Best wishes

Thank you WetAugust - very good points, I agree entirely. Was just refraining from calling it school phobia because it is not that either! Atually it is 'I-have-complex-difficulties-which-i-don't-understand-but-I-have-been-trying-to-show-everyone-since- I-was-little, i-am-8-now-and-I-have-had-enough'. Wonder if there is a word for that .
Due for a meeting in school end of next week but cannot believe how bad this is allowed to get with little happening. Let's hope they don't all pull out of that one like they pulled out of the diagnosis meeting. School have been very proactive in asking for external help but have not been getting it which is ironic when from what i read here seems lots of schools won't seek the help!