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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Need Help with Alternate Schooling for anxious teen

12 replies

user1494847027 · 15/05/2017 12:52

My 15 year old daughter struggles really badly with anxiety/OCD and intense symptoms she has explained to me as depersonilisation, derealisation etc. She has just started CAMHS so we have support available, but she sobs every morning before school saying things like 'I can't do this anymore' 'I won't learn anything im so anxious' etc but has recently started to totally refuse school. She does have support in school (a pass to leave class if she feels panicked,) she is not being bullied, but her panic attacks (and fear of them) are incredibly intense, and after having one takes her a few days to recover from the lingering symptoms. She explains to me that being in school is quite disturbing for her due to her symptoms,and has often had to be picked up from school because of her fear. She has recently asked me to either allow her to be homeschooled or to attend some form of alternate schooling, which I have agreed to look into for her.We live in South Wales (near port talbot) and are in desperate need for options here. If anyone can suggest anywhere my daughter can obtain any form of alt schooling, please please do so. Thank you from a very stressed mum!

OP posts:
peenakholahda · 15/05/2017 12:56

Are you willing / able to home school her? There are tonnes of groups on FB which can help you with what you know to get started with that.

Original poster
user1494847027 · 15/05/2017 13:24

No, teaching her myself wouldn't benefit her :(

OP posts:
ZaZathecat · 15/05/2017 13:40

Hi, I know exactly how you feel as your post describes my dd perfectly. It came to a head a couple of months ago and she's just doing her gcses now so it was too late to change anything and we've muddled through.

If it had been a year ago I might have considered the Interhigh internet school. You do have to pay for it but they seem to have a good reputation, and many children with stress and anxiety in normal school get on much better with it. I know of a girl (friend of a friend) who did it for the whole 5 years of secondary school and went on to the local sixth form after gcses. It might be worth looking into.

claraschu · 15/05/2017 13:45

Would you have enough money to pay for alternative type schools? There are other options around if you do some detective work. Near us there are two "schools" which are absolutely tiny and not as expensive as a regular private school, with flexible hours, incredibly relaxed, and their main goal is to make learning as stress free as possible. I am sure alternatives like this exist in other areas.

claraschu · 15/05/2017 13:46

Sorry I don't know your area, I meant to say...
We are in Oxfordshire, so not close enough to be helpful.

Original poster
user1494847027 · 15/05/2017 14:16

thank you, i'll look into that. I'm not entirely sure how she'd react to internet schooling (she has always been keen to be taught rather than absorb info herself) but i definitely will bring it up. Hope your daughter is well

OP posts:
Mary21 · 15/05/2017 14:31

I was also going to suggest interhigh. It might be worth contacting human scale education to see if they know any schools in your area
www.hse.org.uk/about_hse.html.
It's also worth seeing I've there are any home ed groups as dome time people organise tutors between themselves .
In some areas 14 - 16 year olds can go to the local colleges of further education.

Wolfiefan · 15/05/2017 14:36

Are the school doing enough to support her? Could she work in a separate room? Has she a safe space to be in at break and lunch time?
We aren't local enough to you to be able to suggest anywhere. Sorry. Sad

Original poster
user1494847027 · 15/05/2017 14:49

they're doing all they can (which i must admit, isn't alot) i doubt they'd allow her to stay in one room all day with different tasks to complete. She'd think 'what's the point' anyway. Teens are difficult. thank you though :)

OP posts:
ZaZathecat · 15/05/2017 15:51

With Interhigh they are taught by teachers but on-line. They can interact with the teacher and other pupils at the same time. It's a bit like being at school but from your own home. They also have optional group activities for the pupils to meet up now and then.

Keehar256 · 16/05/2017 14:10

Interhigh have an "open evening" on Thursday 18th where you can sign on and find out more about how they teach. (you have to register for it via their website) We are going to have a look as my daughter 14 is also suffering from anxiety and panic and I have removed her from her secondary school. I'm not sure if Interhigh will be the way forward but we're keeping our options open. I think they do secondary up to A levels. We're also looking at local 14-18 college as it will be smaller classes, less screaming kids everywhere and a bit more business like ... Taking time out until September to decide. Mental health and well being is more important than GCSEs, although some people may try to convince you otherwise. There is home ed page on mumsnet, although it doesn't seem to get as much traffic as teenage thread. Also we have found facebook groups for home ed invaluable for advice and resources and support.

ZaZathecat · 16/05/2017 16:38

I secoond that. Once I decided to put my dd's mental health above schooling things got a lot better all round.

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