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Persistent absence case study
Student A was first introduced to me in September of 2021, he had Emotional Based School Attendance difficulties (EBSA) and his attendance was 65.7% for the previous year and he had not been in at all for the three weeks of term to date.
We started with a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) graded exposure response to get A back into school and in a ‘safe zone’. He and his parents attended an anxiety course run by myself to learn how to help him manage his anxiety more effectively. I came up with a creative package of support for A that allowed him to maintain improved attendance of 73.5%.
I was able to identify that prelims or end of unit tests were a trigger for a decline in attendance and put in appropriate support to manage this, this evidence was also used to apply for access arrangements which were successfully secured.
I communicated with external agencies to create close communication between the team around the child which aided us in proactively identifying and avoiding triggers for non-attendance and getting robust medical evidence on file.
I was able to support a bespoke academic catch up plan that has allowed A to close the gaps in his education and further increase his attendance to 84%, he was able to attend 100% of his GCSE exams and handed in all coursework on time.
At the end of the school year, A told me that if it were not for the work I did with him, he would be dead. I queried this as I felt he would have been emotionally alright having stayed at home but academically insecure, he was clearly able to say that if he had continued to fail to achieve ‘normal’ things like his peers were, such as attending school, he would have felt like a failure. This would have led to him taking his life.
He is due to start on a level 3 sports course in September having sat 8 GCSE subjects.
Parenting programmes
What for you was most useful about the group?
Information shared, strategies, shared experience.
Support and not feeling alone
Mrs Thomas and her knowledge
understanding the issues and learning about action/strategies that can be put in place
How has the group changed you as a parent?
Given me strategies, context on how a teenage brain develops and behaves. Helped me assess my behaviour and lead by example
Yes it made me more thoughtful in situations
Improved how I react and deal with issues
Being able to discuss things when things have calmed down
How has the group changed your child’s behaviour?
My behaviour changes have impacted my teenagers responses.
It is a short time and I have more work to do on putting in place changes
Better a bit more mature
By the way I have been approaching issues, keeping calm, not being as controlling
Work in progress I think!
Describe any difference you have noticed in your relationship with your teenager:
I am trying out strategies to bring about positive outcomes. The power is seeing these work and the communication and relationship improving as a result.
I understand her a bit better
Seems to be in a better mood due to how we treat her hence we get on better
What was the best moment in the group?
Seeing the same people each week and going on a journey together. Understanding that you are not alone and that raising kids is a complex undertaking.
All of it has been good moments I’ve looked forward to going ever week and it’s been so interesting and never once boring, the time flies so quick before you know it it’s home time.
How to deal with your child when they are at their most irate and explosive
Any other comments about the group or leaders?
Very knowledgeable, open and understanding. Gave space to all to input as they could and wanted to.
The knowledge they have is truly amazing, there’s not a question they can’t answer or a topic they don’t know about. They have been my saviours, angels sent down to me when I’d reached rock bottom and didn’t know what else to do when all the help I’d asked for wasn’t there with doctors etc. When I felt I’d hit a brick wall and all the doors had been closed on me and my daughter they were there to help us.
Fantastic leaders - very knowledgeable and been so enlightening
a good well presented course
I think the course would of been a bit dull if it wasn't for how positive , happy and uplifting Mrs Thomas was
Please leave any further comments:
Best decision I made to accept the invitation to be part of this group. Sometimes your focus can be so inward looking that you cannot see beyond that. Made me realise that I needed support in a way I hadn’t acknowledged and wouldn’t have been able to express. This course should be available for all parents, carers and teachers. Living and working with teenagers is tough, but also amazing and rewarding. Everyone needs a helping hand to be able to realise their potential in the role they have as parent, carer or teacher and be better equipped to support themselves and the teenagers in their lives.
LIFE CHANGING….