[senco-forum] runaway child

I think my first port of call might be Social Services.   If parents are
involved with the police, although you don't say it, one thought is are they
able to adequately parent this boy - at least at this particular time.  No
learning difficulties would also suggest at least investigating the
possibility that something that is happening outside school is responsible
for this behaviour.
One other comment I would make about exclusion - or not. (And we are in this
position at the moment.)   Sometimes in an effort to support a child in
difficult circumstances we tolerate, or appear to tolerate, behaviour that
is not acceptable.    This can give a message that the rules don't apply to
them.  This can be a frightening experience for most children, who push even
harder to find out what they do have to do to be stopped.   If you can, be
sure that not excluding is helpful rather than allowing things to escalate.
Good luck.

Beth
Primary Senco

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk]On Behalf Of Mary Ross
Sent: 20 May 2004 16:38
To: senco forum
Subject: [senco-forum] runaway child

We have recently admitted a Yr 5 boy to our Middle School.  His parents 'had
to move' to our catchment area, hence the change of school.  When asked to
do any work, or remove his coat, or is upset by another child etc. etc. he
runs off.  Sometimes this is off the school premises - two members of staff
hot footed it down the middle of the road the other day!  He has also
retired to the shed roof, where he started to demolish it.  We have escorted
him home, on 2 occasions, as his parents do not have a car.  We have to wait
for him to calm down before we dare encourage him back into school - today
he was lying face down in the next door Leisure Centre car park. Parents are
in trouble with the police and an older brother is in a referral unit. The
Inclusion Officer for the area is trying to keep him at our school (of
course). The class teacher is trying extremely hard to include him into her
lessons.  Yesterday, when 'upset' by another child, 'runaway boy' tried to
stab him with a pair of scissors.  Unfortunately, this other lad's Dad is a
policeman. Runaway boy has no support attached to him, so as I am the only
one available at times (as a non class teaching Senco)I have to drop my 1:1
and small group learning support pupils, to help 'contain' this lad.  He can
be very pleasant and surprisingly does not seem to have learning
difficulties, but these incidents are happening nearly every day. I'm sure
we're not alone in having children like this, and I know there must be
schools with far greater difficulties than this so PLEASE can someone offer
some practical advice.  Of course the quick solution for us is to exclude
him (It's happened to him before) but this is unlikely to help the child.

=====
Mary Ross. Senco. Norfolk Middle School.

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