help for 16 year old

[Bethan]

My 16 year old has just walked out of school having endured a hateful year. She is not academic but used to be a cheerful outgoing popular girl. She is now tearful depressed and prone to tantrums. This could of course be adolescence but perhaps her psychological make up is not up to the rigours of french school. As a mother I could not bear to see her like this and so although I have tried to talk her into staying until June (not so long I know), she just could not stand one more day of being shouted at by unsympathetic teachers when she couldn't do the same work or the controls as her classmates. And isolated by said classmates for being a strange crying person.

She did receive extra language help and as far as her directrice was concerned she had done everything she could for my daughter. I sat in her office yesterday and tried to salvage the situation with my daughter crying, and with the directrice telling her she was like a 6 year old girl and that she was not normal. This is hard for any parent to hear, but I do understand her point of view. I apologised and thanked her for the efforts she had gone to, but at the end of it my daughter said she was going to walk out. There was nothing I could do.

I went to the employment office, and apparently french employment law is complicated for 16 - 18 year olds as they are minors. It will be difficult for her to find even waitressing work I was told. Apprenticships are a possibility.

So - eventually - my question. Does anyone have any knowledge or information about getting a 16 year old into an apprenticeship? I am currently in 46, but could be moving shortly to the Toulouse area. Would it be an idea to get the ball rolling with an apprenticeship for her? Or is it possible for her to find work, however, menial? She is well presented and looks older than her 16 years, sensible and practical - in normal circumstances.


Bethan

[Teamedup]

There are centres for young people to sort out training and employment. And yes, there are apprenticeships available. These always include going back to school though, day release or one week in four, it depends, to get a CAP and/or BEP.

You would need to find an employer, but hairdressing or being a baker are the only things that spring to mind at the moment. Although I am sure that there are plenty of other things too.

If you daughter remains unemployed the state do not give out any financial aid**, although they do not stop your family allowance, if you receive it.

We have been through a similar situation. It was our son's last 'official' school year and in fact, he and I returned to the UK for the last term. ** And that is how I know that no one helped him or us financially, maybe it would depend on family circumstances though.

My other question is, is it 'legal' for her just to leave school like that...... I do not know. I know in the UK the last full year is obligitory, even if the child is 16.

I'm so sorry this has happened. Brought back a lot of bad memories. The school our son attended considered that they had done everything they possibly could. At that time they catagorised all learning difficulties and when they said that something was so, the child was expected to be 'just so'. Deviate from even the learning difficulty norm and one was a deviant. And our son ended up being depressed.

Good luck.

[Val_2]

My heartfelt sympathies to you and your daughter. It goes to show though, it is not easy to locate to a foreign school no matter at what age and those about to embark on this, should do their homework thoroughly first and not just leave things to chance especially with children of collge age. Is there not another collge near enough for you to go to and re-do the year again? Its a shame at 16 because they really do need to pass their brevt for Lyce and finding apprenticeships these days is getting harder and harder but they are there if you look for them. As for upping and leaving education like that, it is possible that the Inspectorate might investigate why especially if you have been in French education for some years and have got into their "systems" and the last thing you want is to be breaking the law and accused of truancy. Finding normal work is impossible for under 18's because of the insurance problems, my daughter recently contacted our local Brittany Ferries office for seasonal work and they take no one under 20 because of insurance and pay condititions etc.
Anyway I hope you get sorted and your daughter settles.

[Mistral]

If she's over 16, she is beyond obligatory school age but as you say the employment laws are a bit odd.
Her school choices are, to retake a year in her school (yeah right) to go to another school (almost certainly private) to go back until there end of the year and sit the brevet but if she's only been there a year I imagine her controle continue isn't brilliant.

As far as employment is concerned, the best thing would be to contact the CFA for apprenticeships. She needs to have found an an employer and she goes to the CFA once a week (usually) and to the employer the rest of the time. The wages are usually ridiculous but they exist.

I must have the blurb about the CFA in my school bag I'll dig it out and send you a message.