School Refusal

Every parent has trouble getting their teen out of bed and off to school every now and then. However, if your teen is regularly asking to stay home and seems upset or worried about school, it could be a sign of a bigger problem.

It can be hard to cope when your child refuses to go to school. You might be feeling frustrated, worried, confused, angry, or disappointed. Watch the video below to hear how Lucy Clarke, author of Beautiful Failures and mother of three, coped with her daughter’s school refusal.

What’s going on?

School refusal is different to ‘wagging’ or ‘jigging’ because it stems from a teen’s anxiety about school. They might be worried about their school work, interacting with other kids, dealing with teachers, playing sports or being away from their family.

What should I do? Great advice from Reachout.com

How can you help?

Try to speak to your child about what’s been happening.

Work on some ways to motivate your teen.

Let the school know what’s going on. You could talk to your child's teacher, year coordinator, deputy principal or the Wellbeing staff. If the first person you contact at school isn’t helpful, you can ask them to refer you to someone else.

Find out about the school’s attendance policies and procedures. This will help you to avoid any legal or financial penalties while you try to address the problem.

Cooperate with the school and your child to improve their attendance. Working together with the school will give your teen the best chance of overcoming their anxieties about school. Focus on trying to make school a structured and predictable part of your teen’s life. Some practical steps could be to ask the school to:

share lesson plans with you and your child
excuse your child from activities that make them anxious eg. reading aloud
let you know if there will be a substitute teacher
organise regular meetings with your main contact at the school.
If you feel like you’ve tried everything
If you’ve tried chatting to your teenager and their school and school refusal is still an issue, it may be time to look into flexible learning options or to seek professional help.

Ask the school if there are any options for gradually transitioning your child back into full-time schooling. This may involve changes such as shorter school days or fewer subjects.

Make an appointment with your GP. If there are no physical reasons for your child’s school refusal, the GP may refer your child to a mental health professional such as a counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist. A mental health professional will help your child to learn skills to deal with their anxiety about going to school.

https://parents.au.reachout.com/common-concerns/everyday-issues/things-to-try-school-and-education/how-to-help-a-teen-who-doesnt-want-to-go-to-school

When your kid hates schoolSchool refusal is a big issue, especially in the wake of the pandemic. While most kids will complain about school at some point along the way, what happens when it escalates into outright school refusal? Maggie Dent talks to education consultant and former Principal Adam Voight about how to tackle it head on. From the best ways to advocate for your child, to how to find support, plus the families who went through it and came out the other side. And we ask the big question; should you just change schools? For Rose's full story, listen on the ABC listen app.

EXCLUSIVE: The long road back to school; a mother's storySending your first child off to school is a huge milestone. Only, sometimes, it doesn't go to plan. When Rose's son refused to go to school one day, she never imagined what it would become. That day became weeks and then months, as school refusal became a constant in their lives. It was the hardest thing she has ever had to face as a parent. This is her story.