Hashimoto disease and school hassel

[CharButterfly]

My daughters 14 years old . She has a lot of eye infections and general virus type illness. We have kept school informed and we attend GP about every 8 weeks and Consultant 6 monthly. She is under investigation for addisons disease too. School has complicated things by being unhappy we attend appointments, now are fining us £60 for keeping her off due to a sickness bug.. (the GP is supporting us) any other parents had this issue??

[Clutter]

CharButterfly,

How very dare the school fine a parent for keeping a sick child off school. I would refuse to pay the fine and complain to whoever oversees the school and to your MP.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

That's disgusting and I wonder if it's legal. Can your GP or the consultant back you up by providing some kind of proof of your daughter's illness?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to SeasideSusie]

I can't believe it is legal if, as described, the absences are for bona fide medical appointments and genuine illness. (I am not for one moment suggesting otherwise.)

Suggest a look here:

childlawadvice.org.uk/infor...

There are bound to be other sources as well.

(My facetious aspect wants to ask, "Would they be so keen if the diagnosis were, say, Ebola?")

Also, from my reading, they can issue a fine, they can double it if not paid, then their only option is to actually take the parents to court but it looks as if the fine itself might be unenforceable.

[Treepie]

The school can do this .The response is to not pay and tell the head that you will see him in court with the GP providing a statement regarding your daughter's health problems.

On the other hand please do not keep her away from school for minor health issues e.g.how painful are the eye infections.

[CharButterfly in reply to Treepie]

Not so much pain it's the fact that the kids ar bullies already. I've looked at medical conditions within schools and she should have healthcare educational plan ... For times when she's off

[CharButterfly in reply to CharButterfly]

School haven't done that either just read interesting doc on Pupils with medical conditions Depart education 2015

[baba]

Equality and disability legislation apply to schools - might be some help there

[Hidden]

We had a warning off the school that they were going to do this. My boys didn't have a day off then they got loads before Christmas and of course because it's only counted from September it took their attendance right down. She can't help being ill and contest it and refuse to pay. Take documents to court and prove you are telling the truth.

[2pence]

CharButterfly

Below is the link to how schools should deal with children in their schools who have medical conditions.

gov.uk/government/uploads/s...

It is such a long link that I think you will need to copy and paste it into your browser but hope it helps. You could also get the information from your local SENDIAS service which used to be known as Parent Partnership. You should be able to find out how to contact them from the website of your local authority as this service is a statutory provision of the local authority but it should be arms length and may be provided by a local charity. PM me if you need more information.

Penni

[CharButterfly]

I read the 2015 version earlier... Realising to my horror how much hasn't happened that should have. I've even printed NHS choice infomation and thyroid uk information for school but no education plan from them, no work sent home. They even breached their own equal ops policy, policy on poor attendance which states we should have face to face meeting n action plan

Letters written ..

[Hidden in reply to CharButterfly]

You could consider maybe home schooling her, that is perfectly legal. I home schooled my two autistic boys for a while. All's you do is send a letter to the head with the relevant legislation and say you will be giving her a full time education at home. They have to remove her name from the registers within a day of receipt I think it is. It's a lot to consider and think about though but may be an option. x

[Hidden]

Or get onto the education authority and question what they are going to do to help. Take it above the school. She obviously needs more support and help and the school should be communicating with you so that she doesn't miss any education. You can even somtimes home school part time, then school the rest but you need a pretty good school to agree to that. They are like gold dust I know x

[CharButterfly in reply to Hidden]

Just spoken to school they said it's up to the GP/consultant to to decide whether a child needs the health education plan in place I am going to confirm this with the LEA to see if this is the case n keep u all informed.

[Hidden in reply to CharButterfly]

One of my sons has one and that's rubbish they are all sorted out via the school, LEA and health care people. They all have to come together to write up a plan. Her medical needs will be looked into but it should be the SEN officer at the school who actions all this.

[Ruthi]

Just be careful to keep written records of all conversations. My son had ME and I asked for work to be sent home, or even some home visits. Their response was to threaten to take me to court for his non attendance - following a letter from a paediatrician who hadn't seen him, and didn't believe the disease existed (it was nearly 30 years ago). While I was fighting all that, my poor son actually collapsed and ended up in hospital under a different consultant.

Things are better nowadays, but nevertheless I always keep written records of every phone conversation!

[Hidden]

Also you may not know this and they keep it very quiet but most councils have a form where you can request an assessment for an EHCP yourself. The gp may be able to help but it's the school and LEA that do it all. Just giving you the heads up incase they send you on a wild goose chase which they like to do. There is also a thing called action Plus which isn't as intense as the EHCP plan which they could put her on. EHCPs are funded by the LEA so they do anything to avoid giving them.

[CharButterfly]

Having spoken to council special educational needs department. . They are putting a stem enter to support extra help and feel school haven't helped at all

[CharButterfly]

Well charlies been t9 school n had more bullying today. I took in medical information "I hope this is clarification that she has autoimmune thyroid disease as stated in the four other consultant letters sent in and also the information from NHS choices n thyroid uk which confirms it ain't gonna grow back or get better! !"