Hi Taylor Yes definitely an improvement in attendance, it was at 30% term 2 and that was only online, term 4 is 97%, They have another look for unit classes week 4 next year but not many classes available for young ppl below year 9. The self-harm was an unexpected thing we had an appointment at a new paediatrician and one of the questions asked was about self harming and she showed the doctor, my heart missed a beat i was so shocked. She had told her psychologist about it but they hadn't told me, I was upset that the psychologist didn't tell me being she's a minor and asked me to trust her to speak alone with my child Its definitely had an impact on my own mental health I had a random panic attack a few months ago and I totally felt like I was going to pass out or die.. not fun. Took me weeks to get past that feeling it was going to happen again and it freaked me out. She says the self harming is a release of emotion and she sees no problems with it, she woke me up last weekend about midnight saying she felt suicidal and had been self harming, I helped her and talked it out with her till she felt ok to go to sleep. I'm scared for next year but hopefully these new Adhd inattentive meds help and we have a meeting Monday to see what will happen next year at school, I don't think it will work, she disappeared in match from school and now will have to go back and face all the questions about where she's been ... View more

Hi LoveArt81 So we ended up getting a place at the school at our local hospital Adolescent Day Unit and she has bern going for the last 2 terms (2 days till graduation) A lot has happened though with there support she has been most days, its better as its only 7 kids and they have psychologist and social worker, nurses, and teachers to help She has changed her name and become gender fluid they/them pronouns. Has started self harming and still has occasional suicidal thoughts. We are seeing a private psychologist every 2 weeks, she has started new meds. She has been approved for a anxiety unit class but there is no spots left and she will probably have to return to her high school which she doesn't want to do 😭 I'm at a loss what we do next? I think she will go to school if we do get a place in a small unit class, but she still struggles with i don't want to go days, they made her sign a contract that if she misses a day she loses her phone/ internet till she returns and that has been a big motivation to get her to go. Good luck it is a hard and seemingly never ending struggle ... View more

Hi @bglhome Sounds like you're having a hectic time of it too, it really throws a curve ball into how you think school life with teens would be huh. It's hard to know how much to push them to go to school isn't it especially when you can see they are struggling, My daughter has said she would like to do distance education too I agree that I'm not sure it would be the best thing for her as she would be distracted by chatting online and never leave the house. The school said DE is the last resort. It's so scary to find out they are hiding thing from us isn't it, when my daughter said she has thought about suicide she gave me a knife and razor blade that she had hidden in her room... I nearly died omg scared me so much. Then I worry if I push her to go to school too hard and she feels like that again and doesn't tell me.. going to school isn't important if losing her was the consequence of it. Good luck with you meeting with the school, I hope you get a plan to help on what to do next. We still haven't had any days at school since covid19. Our next meeting is 29/6 to find out if she can go to the hospital school for term 3. Best of luck x ... View more

Thanks, I'm ok, just worried for her. I had a bad start to this week I dropped a wooden pallet on my foot at work and broke my big toe so I've been home all week. I'm worried her not going to school will rub off on her sister who is 11, lucky she loves school atm. I did tell her psychologist I don't think it's autism, she said it presents different in girls than boy and she doesn't specialize in autism and recommend we see someone else to find out. I have made an appointment at a new pediatrician to get her assessed for autism but can't get in till October. So it's a waiting game for now and trying to get her to school or juggling her being home and her dad and I working fulltime . I won't leave her home alone. ... View more

Hi Yeah she was doing drawing after school 1 arvo a week but that stopped due to covid19. We had the meeting at school they asked her what her favorite subject was and asked if she would just come for that subject she said yes but when it was time to go she shut down and refused to go. So still zero days at school post covid19. The school also wanted a diagnosis from her psychologist which I got, social anxiety. She also said possible autism but I don't think that she has that she was fine till last year. Since she won't attend school at all due to her anxiety the school said the next step is a school at the local hospital mental health day unit 😯 I didn't even know they did that. She can do that for 2 terms if accepted in but it is closed till term 3 due to covid19. So what we do till then I have no idea.... The School ... View more

Thanks for the reply I will check out the links. Yes she is still seeing her psychologist she has an appointment tomorrow arvo. The meeting is about how they can try and help her to get back to going to school. She said she's not going to go back that she hates school and would rather die. She said she isn't bullied. It's hard as her dad and I work full-time and I won't leave her home alone so it's a combination of sick/holiday leave for us and her going to my parents house some days to look after her. ... View more