son forced to leave school at 16

[bcham]

the school my son attends ,wont be letting him stop on as he has been a problem pupil.

i am a single dad,but i am worried when he leaves school, his tax credits will stop and i will have just £71 a week to keep us both,which would be inpossible,would there be any other benefits i could claim,when i asked my advisor at the work programe,she said i would not get any thing as he wont be in full time education.

[Sparks_]

Is he thinking of doing a college course? Sometimes young people who found school difficult find the more adult college more to their liking, other than that he will have to sign for benefits himself?

[citizenB]

As far as I know, the law is now that children have to stay in education until they are 18 years old. So if the School is forcing him to leave, is there another education facility he can attend until the official leaving age ?

 

Have you spoken to the Head of the school to see what options there are for your Son. It is my understanding that he should be able to get a place a local college, which caters for youngsters in your Son's position.

 

I would make an appointment with the Head of the School in the absence of which, it might be worth speaking to someone at Citizen's Advice Bureau

 

If he is being forced to leave, then can he claim benefits in his own right ?

[bcham]

As far as I know, the law is now that children have to stay in education until they are 18 years old. So if the School is forcing him to leave, is there another education facility he can attend until the official leaving age ?

 

Have you spoken to the Head of the school to see what options there are for your Son. It is my understanding that he should be able to get a place a local college, which caters for youngsters in your Son's position.

 

I would make an appointment with the Head of the School in the absence of which, it might be worth speaking to someone at Citizen's Advice Bureau

 

If he is being forced to leave, then can he claim benefits in his own right ?

i have a meeting with the head next week,as my son only attends school part time (1 hour a day)and it is up for review ,ill bring the matter up with him,

as he has 6 months left before he leaves.but he has been on part time for two years.so he will be that far behind,will he be able to attend college.

[sillygirl1]

Check to see if you are getting all your benefits on

 

http://www.entitledto.com

 

That is a direct link to the site, you don't need to 'register' to use it.

[renegadeimp]

Your son can attend college still. Makes no odds about education level. Its just age that matters. There are plenty of courses at most colleges which can help.him catch up qnd pursue the kind of training that HE wants to do.

[bcham]

Your son can attend college still. Makes no odds about education level. Its just age that matters. There are plenty of courses at most colleges which can help.him catch up qnd pursue the kind of training that HE wants to do.

thank you all. for your replies,thats solved a lot of my worries .will the school find him a college course,if i ask them.

[citizenB]

Your son can attend college still. Makes no odds about education level. Its just age that matters. There are plenty of courses at most colleges which can help.him catch up qnd pursue the kind of training that HE wants to do.

 

thank you all. for your replies,thats solved a lot of my worries .will the school find him a college course,if i ask them.

 

I am pretty certain that his current school should be providing you with all the options that are available - although you might want to contact some of the local colleges yourself.

 

You dont say whether the Education authority has provided your Son with an Education Welfare officer to monitor his situation. IMHO you should really be asking these questions of the Head of the School.

 

HTH

[Nystagmite]

There is something about a 16 year old being able to claim benefits if they're in financial hardship. I think someones 16 year old was recently able to claim income support (or JSA?) because the parent was on benefits themselves.

 

Can't remember who it was though.

[renegadeimp]

I am pretty certain that his current school should be providing you with all the options that are available - although you might want to contact some of the local colleges yourself.

 

You dont say whether the Education authority has provided your Son with an Education Welfare officer to monitor his situation. IMHO you should really be asking these questions of the Head of the School.

 

HTH

 

Yep. The school has an obligation to ensure the educational needs of the child is met unless it is exceptional circumstances, such as a highly disruptive pupil. Also, you can talk to admissions at any college, and they can help you out very easily with course information and access to certain benefits.

 

There are many more things, but the best thing to do is to get down to the school and/or college and discuss it with them. All you need is for him to be accepted on a full time course and you get the benefits continued. Your child could also see if an apprenticeship is viable. This will give him £60-£100 a week depending on the apprenticeship. In some area's, an apprenticeship is a very good way to learn a trade and life skills, as well as him/her being able to go to college once or twice a week to get the mandatory education they will need.

[LaughingGirl]

Absolutely agree with the advice being given above, especially that many kids who really struggle with school come into their own at college or in vocational training. Does your son have any special needs?

[bcham]

Absolutely agree with the advice being given above, especially that many kids who really struggle with school come into their own at college or in vocational training. Does your son have any special needs?

no special needs but he is disruptive pupil.he has been scince his mother left 7 years ago,he says he hates school because every one teases him about having no mum.

[citizenB]

no special needs but he is disruptive pupil.he has been scince his mother left 7 years ago,he says he hates school because every one teases him about having no mum.

 

It is incredibly sad that the shool felt it necessary to exclude him rather than deal with what was an extremely traumatic period in his life.

 

At the very least they could have referred him to a school phsycotherapist. (sp)

[renegadeimp]

Gotcha. He's a bullied kid who never had support from the school.

 

If you want my honest opinion, he would be much better suited and indeed, supported in college studying something that HE wants to study. Nobody in college is going to bully him for not having a mother. In college people come from all walks of life, and they are there for one reason only. To study and learn what THEY want to learn.

 

If it helps, i dropped out of school at 15. I went to college for 3 years, got my BTEC diplomas in Computer Science, Animal management/care along with side courses that gave me my GCSE's. It took a few years, but i gained my Degree in Server management and I.T infrastructure, and a nationally recognised qualification in Animal behavioural studies.

 

All this was achieved off my own back, but i couldnt have done it without the support of the college i went to originally who were amazing at supporting me.

 

 

The best thing i could advise you to do, is to sit your son down and talk to him. Go through what he wants to do with his life, and tell him that you are there for him and will support him all the way. Take him to a college and speak to admissions who will help you with everything there. College is an amazing first step in life, especially if the school never supported him. You, and him, just need to take that first step.

[bcham]

thanks for all your advice,the shool is phoning me this week for another meeting,ill ask them about a college course,if i get no joy ill take him to college myself,a few months before he leaves,

funny the work programe advisor never told me any of this,

[renegadeimp]

Make sure you sit your son down and tell him that you are going to support him 100%, and ask him exactly what he is interested in so you can help him find a study path that HE wants to do. The main thing is he needs to tell the school exactly what is happening. He can't bottle it up as to them it would seem like he;s simply a trouble maker. If he tells them everything and gets it out of his system, then they will be more comforting towards him.

 

If you can show from the start that you are behind him 100%, i guarantee he will be much happier.

[flumps1976]

http://www.connexionslive.com/

have a look at this site, these are the people to talk to regarding what options your sons has regarding if he carries on with education or if he would have any entitlement to claim any benefits.

[Wolfchild]

Hi bcham

 

I'm a single father as well with a daughter who has been affected badly by her mother not bothering about her so I know where you are coming from. I had to push for 6 months till she got the right help, she's now getting help from a school welfare officer and a mental health dr and slowly getting there. Regarding your question have a look at this link which will help you find out where you stand.

 

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/education_e/education_school_education_ew/access_to_education.htm

[bcham]

thanks for your links,