Provides information and advice for people with dyspraxia, and for their parents, carers and families. School Refusal Support Services or SRSS is an Unincorporated Organisation We are run by a Committee of people who have an understanding of School Refusal children. © 2021 YoungMinds. School refusal IPSEA’s volunteers regularly advise and support parents and carers whose school-aged children are unable to access education because of anxiety or similar difficulties – very often associated with the child’s SEN. Fear or a specific phobia about something at school only accounts for a small percent of youth refusing school 3. School refusal is a strong indicator of mental health and SEND needs, but we don’t have any data to evidence the scale of the problem. Sometimes anxiety can worsen to the point that a child or young person starts to feel they are unable to go to school. Webchat available via the website homepage. School refusal is the contemporary term used to describe a condition where a child has difficulties attending school on account of severe emotional distress during their time in school. The LA must continue to secure the special educational provision in the EHC plan while your child is out of school (section 42, Children and Families Act 2014). Registered charity numbers 1016968 & SC039700, For more tips on how to support your child with their mental health and wellbeing, and where to get help take a look at our parents support. Opening times: 10am - 1pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 1pm - 3pm on Thursdays. Our Parents Helpline team discuss school refusal. I am the founder of www.schoolrefusal.co.uk and SRSS. Supports people with autism and their families. Opening times: 9.30 - 5pm, Monday - Friday. They should liaise with appropriate medical professionals to ensure minimal delay in arranging appropriate provision for the child. School-refusal. 4. Speak to their school as soon as possible to let them know about the difficulties they are experiencing. GP and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). to make a series of fun videos to help them. Every local authority website should set out its Alternative Provision options. It feels like we have to be the same as our peers. If the GP (or any medical/mental health professional) feels that the child is not currently fit to attend school, ask for a letter to the local authority (LA) to be provided, explaining this. Provides advice and information to parents and carers in Scotland if their child needs additional support for learning. But some children and teens feel so much emotional distress that they may repeatedly balk at attending school or staying there — a problem known as school refusal, or school avoidance if it occurs consistently. School refusal / reluctance to attend school About reluctance to attend school Children or young people can be reluctant to attend school at any point during their education. You can also contact them using this online form. Tips for working with your child's school, webchat service or contact them via an online form, Parents Guide To Support - School anxiety and refusal. School refusal is different from truancy When kids begin refusing to go to school, some parents worry that their children will drop out, or that they’ll get a visit from a truant officer. School refusal is a more serious condition than separation anxiety. Free short-term counselling service available. If you are being threatened with an Attendance Order because of your child’s absences from school, you should write to the relevant person or department (which is likely to be the Educational Welfare Service) to explain that your child has special educational needs and is experiencing mental health difficulties. The school may need to seek support from outside agencies. You should check if you qualify for legal aid. Refusal to go to school may happen at any age but most typically occurs in children 5-7 years of age and in those 11-14 years of age. Depending on how difficult your child is finding things, you can discuss some of the following strategies with the school: If you are unhappy with the way a member of staff is responding to your concerns, escalate them to a more senior person – such as a more senior teacher, a deputy head, or the head teacher. We list some of the best inpatient treatment programs, partial and outpatient programs for school refusal, as well as therapeutic boarding schools.. We provide understandable explanations about your child's right to a free and appropriate public education ( … If your child’s school does not offer counselling, or your child would not feel comfortable seeing a counsellor at school, you can use our guide below to help you access it elsewhere. It is unlawful to withhold or reduce the provision, or type of provision, for a child because of how much it will cost. Evidence of this type would provide a documented explanation for the child’s non-attendance. You can support me better if you really get to know me and what I need. PMID: 10576531 Abstract Developments in the assessment and treatment of school refusal have often been hampered by a failure to recognise its essentially heterogeneous nature. I’d like it if you made time to chat to me and ask me how my day was when I get home. School refusal is a serious emotional problem that is stressful for both children and parents. Children and young people who can’t attend mainstream school are entitled to alternative provision of education in a different setting. For more tips on how to support your child with their mental health and wellbeing, and where to get help take a look at our parents support guide. You can also use their webchat service or contact them via an online form. If your child is refusing to go to school, this is known as ‘school refusal’ or ‘school phobia’. Within our home, we have the following conditions which have educated me Offers support to anyone under 25 about anything that’s troubling them. Be part of YoungMinds' life changing work by giving us permission to keep in touch. 2 This can include depression, somatic symptoms, anxiety and temper tantrums. Refusal to go to school may happen at any age but most typically occurs in children 5-7 years of age and in those 11-14 years of age. Ask the class teacher, SENCO and or senior management team for a meeting to discuss what might be behind the school refusal. The student’s support team should work together to create a suitable … As a first step, you should take your child to your GP and explain what has been happening. Email support available via their online contact form. ). Well-meaning parents will often find that efforts to encourage … Provides independent advice and information for parents on education issues in England. Or contact them using their online form. When a child refuses to leave the house go to school and parents or carers feel unable to persuade them otherwise, this behaviour is classically labelled as “School Phobia”. I am also a parent of two children with special needs and disabilities. When a child has been refusing to attend school and their behaviour and/or anxiety appears to be worsening, it is important to seek help as soon as possible. School refusal is recognised by psychologists as a disorder in which a child will not attend school for fear of bringing on the physical and mental symptoms of extreme anxiety. 1 Some of the criteria commonly found in school refusal matters involves a student with severe emotional distresses about attending school. “Full-time education” is not defined in law, and LAs will often only offer a few hours of home tuition per week. Join the conversation on our social channels. Elective home education is a serious step, and no parent should feel under pressure to de-register and home educate their child because of difficulties at school or threats of prosecution. School refusal is a condition characterised by reluctance and often outright refusal to go to school in a child who: (1) seeks the comfort and security of home, preferring to remain close to parental figures, especially during school hours; (2) displays evidence of emotional upset when faced with the prospect of having to attend school, although this may only take the form of unexplained physical symptoms; (3) manifests no severe antisocial tendencies, apart from possible aggressiveness when attempts are mad… You should consider asking for an early review of the EHC plan or a re-assessment of needs, especially if your child’s mental health needs have arisen relatively recently and are not covered in the plan. Opening times: 9am - 1pm, Monday - Friday. Your child may need extra or different support, and/or a different school. IPSEA’s volunteers regularly advise and support parents and carers whose school-aged children are unable to access education because of anxiety or similar difficulties – very often associated with the child’s SEN. If you think your child may have additional needs or learning difficulties, speak to their teacher or the school’s SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) about whether they need to be referred for an assessment. Together you can discuss whether referral to CAMHS and/or an assessment by a mental health specialist is needed. You, your GP and your child’s school can ask your local authority to carry out an assessment for this. At the start of a new school year, far too many children with SEND are without a school to attend. School refusal is most likely to start between the ages of 10 and 13, although can be present in children as young as 5. In some cases a … School refusal peaks at several points of development, including with entry into Kindergarten, between ages 7-9, and again with entry into Middle or High School. Leave a message on the 24-hour answering service and someone will call you back, usually within 3-5 working days. How can I help my child with school refusal? The process can take a long time, so it’s often a good idea to try to get support through the school fist. What is school refusal and how do I deal with it? In the short term at least, this could be from a GP. School refusal is, as the name suggests, the refusal by a child to go to school. Any donation you make is hugely appreciated, and helps to keep our vital advice and support services running. Organise a meeting with your child’s teacher or form tutor as soon as you can. You can also talk to their GP. Remember that the term “special educational needs” covers a broad spectrum which includes social, emotional and mental health needs. 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