CAMHS School Attendance Issues

Kids Health helps children and young people to understand signs and symptoms of school stress.

Not Fine in School has a special page dedicated to supporting young people, filled with helpful resources and links: https://notfineinschool.co.uk/young-people

Annaka Harris is a website dedicated to guided meditation for kids with introduction steps, mindful hearing, breathing, seeing, and medication to soothe uncomfortable feelings.

Kidscape:

Social Anxiety UK is a volunteer-led organization that aim to provide information and act as a central hub for the community. Services include:Chatrooms intended for social anxiety sufferers to socialize

Redbridge Information Advice & Support Service (RIASS): https://redbridgeiass.org.uk/

Back to School News (YoungMinds)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvZ-hX0GIXA&feature=emb_title

BOOKS

Wilma Jean the Worry Machine by Julia Cook (recommended by Kids Health the Children’s Hospital in Australia)

  • Addresses the problem of anxiety in a way that relates to children of all ages
  • Offers creative strategies for parents and teachers to use that can lessen the severity of anxiety
  • Goal of the book is to give children the tools needed to feel more in control of their anxiety

General Resources & Information:

Specialist Education and Training Support Service (SEaTSS): https://find.redbridge.gov.uk/kb5/redbridge/fsd/service.page?id=UH9BoKB_osw

  • SEaTSS has been formed by combining existing specialist outreach services from across Redbridge to create one coordinated service that supports children and young people aged from 0-25 years; it also links closely with health and other professionals.
  • The service offers a wide range of support, advice and training opportunities for schools and settings to enable them to deliver high quality support for individual children to ensure that the people who work with them and their families are equipped to understand and meet their individual needs.
  • SEaTSS is made up of 4 teams that support the following:
  • Team 1 - Autism/Social Communication/Social Emotional Mental Health
  • Team 2 – General learning difficulties (GLD), including medical syndromes, Language and Communication needs
  • Team 3 – Physical and complex needs, Specific literacy difficulties (SPLD)
  • Team 4 – Sensory needs (including Vision and hearing)
  • Families can self-refer to SEaTSS using the online referral form available here: https://eforms.redbridge.gov.uk/single-point-of-access-referral-form-for-education-support/
  • Email: seatss@redbridge.gov.uk
  • Telephone: 020 8708 6302

London Borough of Redbridge: https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/schools/school-attendance-and-educational-welfare-services/

Redbridge Information Advice & Support Service (RIASS): https://redbridgeiass.org.uk/

Empowering Parents Together: https://www.empoweringparentstogether.org.uk/

  • Facilitates two–way communication between parent carers and services used by children, young people with SEND and their families in the Redbridge through a Parent Carer forum
  • Frum will work to provide feedback on services, offer constructive challenge to current services and input into decision making and planning for future service provision
  • Membership is free and membership forms can be accessed here: https://www.empoweringparentstogether.org.uk/join-now
  • Contact:o Telephone: 07486 880799 or 07486 880646o Email: info@empoweringparentstogether.org.uk

School Refusal Families is a blog that provides links to relevant articles, posts, and information that are helpful for families and professionals supporting children and young people experiencing school-based anxiety and attendance difficulties.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America gives a brief description of common symptoms of school refusal, potential reasons behind it, and tips for parents and carers.

Not Fine in School is a parent/carer-led organisation set up in response to the growing number of children and young people who struggle with school attendance.

YoungMinds:

Family Lives provides an introduction to truancy, potential reasons for it, and what measures parents can take to address it.

Child Mind Institute explains the difference between truancy and school refusal, and describes potential warning signs for parents to watch out for.Also offers advice to parents on what to do if the situation worsens

Roscommon School Refusal Resource Pack explains what school refusal is, possible precursors to it, how parents and school can help, and how to support the young person to go back to school.

Link: https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/National-Educational-Psychological-Service-NEPS-/NEPS-Guides/School-Refusal/School-Refusal.pdf

Fife CAMHS explains school refusal, potential factors, things to think about, and what you can do

American Academy of Paediatrics explains school avoidance and provides practical tips for concerned parents

South Gloucestershire Council:

The School Run: An article explaining school refusal, its causes, and strategies when it comes to coping with school refusal.

Lemon Lime Adventures has a school refusal cheat sheet that prompts a parent to ask themselves why their child may not be going to school and helpful phrases to say to their child

Understanding School Refusal (Kids Matter Australia- Australian Primary School Initiative): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzxmeVRTjwU

School Refusal - YoungMinds Parents Lounge (YoungMinds): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi5uIlYuAHI&feature=emb_title

  • Jo and Emma from YoungMinds Parents Helpline recap their top tips for managing school refusal in children.

SCHOOL REFUSAL | What is (and isn’t) school refusal? (Pooky Knightsmith MentalHealth): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRJbk_hyhPk

  • In this video, Phylly Pritchard, an educational psychologist explains what is meant by school refusal and how this differs from truanting.

Helping your Kindergartener with Separation Anxiety (Anxiety Canada and the UBC Anxiety Projects Lab): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_5eiYIo1XM

General Resources & Information:

Specialist Education and Training Support Service (SEaTSS): https://find.redbridge.gov.uk/kb5/redbridge/fsd/service.page?id=UH9BoKB_osw

  • SEaTSS has been formed by combining existing specialist outreach services from across Redbridge to create one coordinated service that supports children and young people aged from 0-25 years; it also links closely with health and other professionals.
  • The service offers a wide range of support, advice and training opportunities for schools and settings to enable them to deliver high quality support for individual children to ensure that the people who work with them and their families are equipped to understand and meet their individual needs.
  • SEaTSS is made up of 4 teams that support the following:
    • Team 1 - Autism/Social Communication/Social Emotional Mental Health
    • Team 2 – General learning difficulties (GLD), including medical syndromes, Language and Communication needs
    • Team 3 – Physical and complex needs, Specific literacy difficulties (SPLD)
    • Team 4 – Sensory needs (including Vision and hearing)
  • All teams work closely together delivering coordinated support through personalised approaches and interventions, modelling strategies, supporting planning, training etc. This support will be tailored for schools and the pupils they support; SEaTSS are available to support pupils with existing EHCP’s and those on SEN support.
  • Referral is through an online referral form, available here: https://eforms.redbridge.gov.uk/single-point-of-access-referral-form-for-education-support/
  • Email: seatss@redbridge.gov.uk
  • Telephone: 020 8708 6302

Mentally Healthy Schools: https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/risks-and-protective-factors/school-based-risk-factors/absenteeism/

  • Outlines different reasons behind school absenteeism and explains the link between absence and mental health problems
  • Provides helpful tips for teachers and schools on how to deal with absenteeism

Not Fine in School:

  • Offers a list of resources specifically for teachers and other professionals, providing guidance and links to external organisations: https://notfineinschool.co.uk/professionals
  • They also have a sister organisation, SquarePeg, that aims to connect professionals, practitioners and policymakers working in school attendance difficulties. Link: https://www.teamsquarepeg.org/

Derbyshire County Council: https://schoolrefuserfamilies.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/derbyshire-eps-emotionally-based-school-refusal-guide_tcm44-233526.pdf

  • A guide for primary and secondary schools and emotionally-based school refusal

School Refusal Support Services (Nottinghamshire):

 

  • SCHOOL REFUSAL | 5 ideas for supporting children who are struggling to attend school (by Pooky Knightsmith Mental Health): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sg_10ZDhEw
    • In this video, Phylly Pritchard, an educational psychologist in Lincolnshire UK, shares 5 ideas for supporting children who are struggling to attend school.
  • Mental Health Warning Signs for Schools - Attendance & Punctuality (by Pooky Knightsmith Mental Health): https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE9pGonVRrA

Ace Education: http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/

Child Law Advice : https://childlawadvice.org.uk/

Childline: https://www.childline.org.uk/

Kooth: https://www.kooth.com/

  • A safe, free, and anonymous online support for young people.
  • Open Monday-Friday 12pm-10pm and Saturday-Sunday 6pm-10pm
  • Must make an account to access the website but the username can be anonymous
  • The website also has articles, live forums, a daily journal, and the Kooth community.

The Mix: www.themix.org.uk

  • A support service for people below 25 via online, social, and mobile.
  • Discussion boards, group chat, and local services
  • They also have a helpline and crisis messenger
  • Counselling services for 10-18 year olds
  • https://www.themix.org.uk/get-support

No Panic: https://nopanic.org.uk/

  • Youth Hub provides lots of information, advice, and self-help:https://nopanic.org.uk/youth-hub/
  • Offers a helpline for young people aged 13 to 20 years
    • Monday – Wednesday and Friday 3pm to 6pm, Thursday 3pm-8pm, and Saturday 6pm-8pm: 0330 606 1174
  • And a telephone/ online Youth Mentoring Scheme teaching learning / coping skills and exposure to fears

YoungMinds: https://youngminds.org.uk/

  • Provides mental health support and help young people to develop resilience to overcome life’s difficulties.
  • Offers a crisis messenger available 24/7 across the UK which is run by trained volunteers who are supervised.
  • Texts are free from EE, O2, Vodafone, 3 Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile and Telecom Plus: Text YM to 85258
  • www.contact.org.uk
  • Supporting families with disabled children and children with additional needs in England and Wales. Information on EHC plans, SEN support, bullying, exclusions etc.
  • Contact has a special educational needs national advice service.
  • Freephone helpline: 0808 808 3555, Mon-Fri 09:30-17:00
  • Email: helpline@contact.org.uk