school refusers


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School Refusal
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What authority does a doctor have?

Please help, otherwise I think I may never sleep again!

I spoke with my daughter's doctor today with regard to the possibility of medication and counselling. She was really unhelpful and said that counselling was a waste of time and when I said that I didn't want her to be referred to CAMHS at present, she said that it was becoming a safeguarding issue and she would have the authority to get in touch with the authorities if she thought it was in the best interest of my daughter.

I am so worried that she is going to take matters into her own hands and put a request in to have my girl removed from us! Though my girl can't get to School, she is fine when not thinking about school and fit and healthy. We are just taking it one step at a time, but the doctor doesn't seem to realise that it will take time.

Could someone please reassure me that this won't happen!


Thank you.

Re: What authority does a doctor have?

Unfortunately any person in authority, be it medical practitioner, school nurse or teacher is duty bound to report to social services/child services etc where they think a child is at risk to themselves or from other sources.
Do not be afraid of CAMHS. We have just had our first interview with the Child Psychologist and it was reasonably painless. I would have ideally have liked there input several years ago but my husband was not prepared to have our 'dirty laundry' shared with anybody. My son had 3 days off last week, the first day being the most stressful, until I found this web page and realised there is nothing we can do to persuade them to go. Just be there and support them.
Look on it as a way to help your daughter open up and face her fears with someone who is not her parents. She is probably trying to protect you from her problems.
Don't be afraid to work with the services that are out there. They are not there to take our children away from us so work with them in the best interests of your daughter. Children will only be removed from the family as a last resort and only in extreme circumstances.
Mental Health is real and should not be shunned by anybody. Awareness is the only way we will be able to get school refusal/phobia recognised as a common ailment and therefore the education services will be forced to address the problem.
Frustrating and daunting as it may sound, it is always better to be seen to be working with services rather than be labelled as being obstructive.

Re: What authority does a doctor have?

Hi Sharry - I agree with Phyllis's post. I am in Australia and our system is quite different to the UK. Our GP has been our primary carer and we also have access to funding for private therapists so CAMHS is a last resort for us. At one particularly stressful period I did try to make an appointment but my daughter's case was deemed non urgent so we would have had a six month wait for an appointment (she was threatening to kill herself at the time) I am a member of a large facebook support network for School Phobia based in the UK and it seems that depending on where you live in the UK CAMHS can either be wonderful or terrible. Do you have the option to try a different doctor for a second opinion? Or as Phyllis has suggested, it may be worthwhile to go ahead with a referral to CAMHS and see what support they can offer.

Re: What authority does a doctor have?

HI Sharry

I agree with Sandy and Phyllis - perhaps you are best going with CAMHS at this stage. From what I understand from this forum - they can be good - sometimes they are not - it all depends on the personalities that you meet in the process. Just remember- you have done nothing wrong - you need their help and support - and don't let them make you feel guilty or that they will take your child away.

Sometimes some people feel the need to read the rule book to you - such a shame that your doctor was the one to do this! You don't need to know the rules! You just want to know the support networks and ways forward.
I'd be looking for another doctor too - as you need to have them on side.
Often the schools and other serves won't provide the support you need unless they know you have taken the right steps to get help - so perhaps see how you go with CAMHS - I am also in Australia - but have been on here long enough to know that there can also be quite a wait in the UK.

Sandy...how ridiculous is that - non urgent!!
My son is never regarded as needing urgent assistance either - and he's been through trying to self harm. The school feels they have more immediate cases to deal with. My feeling is that they deal with those who don't have good parents looking after them. Not such a bad thing - but....they should be looking after all our kids and offering support no matter what. Always a case of never enough support to go around.
Take care
Linda