A mother has told how her 14-year-old daughter has become too anxious to return to school after months of Covid lockdown restrictions.
Maddie went to school happily every day before the pandemic, her mother Louise said.
But since reopening she has called in sick about 220 times and her fears have even led her to harm herself.
Louise, who has taken six months off to look after Maddie, described the support they received as “appalling”.
The government said it is supporting teachers to help children recover from the emotional impact of the pandemic.
An estimated 122,000 pupils missed more than 50% of school in autumn 2021 and many never set foot in a building again during that time, according to the Children’s Commissioner for England.
Louise told BBC North West Tonight her daughter is hesitant to brush her teeth, shower or dress herself.
“She has spoken about taking her own life. She felt left behind,” she said.
“She’s just kept falling back to where she’s almost afraid to go in now because she can’t get the job done.”
Louise said she called the school every morning to make sure Maddie was registered as sick to avoid fines, which she found “incredibly difficult”.
“It must be a while before they even applied for a medical needs tutor last week,” she continued.
“I have asked for a referral to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service. I was rejected.
“Seven months later, she is starting five online therapy sessions next week.
“Just for her to get dressed and go to school every day would be great.”
A spokesman for the local council said the teams were working hard with the schools to get the children back “as soon as possible”.
Elsewhere, Lancaster’s Crookhey Hall special needs school said it had at least one parental inquiry per week about children who could not bear to return to physical education classes.
The school helps children like 11-year-old Freddie and his mother Kelly.
Kelly said her son struggled with school in his younger years before the pandemic.
“He isolating himself in his bedroom. He did not want to communicate with the family. It literally destroyed his life,” she said.
However, thanks to the support the family has received, Kelly said Freddie has since settled back into the classroom and is enjoying school life.
The fee-paying school only has eight children per class, with work in each subject commensurate with the student’s level, Principal Samantha Lea said.
“This place makes me very happy,” said Freddie.
Kelly added, “He’s so much happier and for us as a family it’s nice to see a little boy back.”
An Education Department spokeswoman said: “We are supporting teachers to help children and young people recover from the emotional impact of the pandemic, including by providing mental health leadership training in all state schools and colleges by 2025 offer.”
She said an extra £79m had been invested to support pupils with more complex needs by expanding children’s mental health services.
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