Mum says son's anxiety gone after school withdrawal

7 hours ago

Ethan SaundersIn Crewe

Katy McCarthy felt the best option for her son was to leave school because he was suffering issues with his mental health

BBC A woman with red hair, wearing a blue top. Ahe is looking at the camera smiling. She has a lanyard round her neck that says Staff on it. There are pictures and a closed vertical window blind behind her. — Katy McCarthy felt the best option for her son was to leave school because he was suffering issues with his mental health

A woman who withdrew her son from mainstream education after severe school-related anxiety left him unable to cope says home-schooling has been "empowering".

While initially making her feel like a failure, Katy McCarthy says the move allowed her to prioritise his wellbeing and mental health.

McCarthy went to Crewe-based charity Hope 4 More because her child would pace, not sleep and even pick his skin due to the anxiety of having to go to school.

Under the Education Act 1996, if full-time education is not in a child's best interests for reasons relating to their physical or mental health, local authorities must arrange part-time education to help them.

"That term that one size fits all doesn't work," said McCarthy.

Taking him out of school hasn't been without its challenges for McCarthy and has even led to visits from social services, the police as well as threats of fines for her child not attending but she feels that has an impact on her son's mental health.

'Never missed a session'

"It does catch me off guard every now and again when you get social services threatened and you think, 'Gosh, I'm really trying to protect my son's wellbeing'," she said.

"The way everything is now mental health is supposed to be a priority, and it's just not felt like that with the education system."

In McCarthy's case she found out about Hope 4 More from a colleague who pointed out what the service might be able to do for her and has noticed a serious change in her son.

"He's never missed a session, never displayed physical or mental symptoms from when he was in education and he's up in the morning with his bag ready," she said.

Shelia Griffiths set up the charity Hope 4 More alongside a friend after noticing that there was many people having the same issues she had.

A women with short black hair cut into a bob style. she is wearing a blue leopard print top and looking at the camera smiling. — Shelia Griffiths set up the charity Hope 4 More alongside a friend after noticing that there was many people having the same issues she had.

The charity which is supporting families with situations just like McCarthy's was set up by Shelia Griffiths after her own challenges and having to give up work to support her own child.

"Parents including myself have dragged their young people through those doors, and in my experience and many others, PTSD has been diagnosed and treatment need for that," Griffiths said.

"We are not against education but there it is expected a one size fits all, but unfortunately it doesn't".

The charity gets the children into smaller groups that are quieter and allow them to work like that or just by themselves on art projects.

"They just need a smaller, calmer more nurturing environment and they thrive".

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