How to Deal with 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. 

What’s going on?

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

Why does it matter?

• Your teen is likely to fall behind in their subjects and this can have a serious impact on their learning in the long term.
• Your teen could miss out on important social activities and may lose friends or struggle to make new friends.
• It could be against the law. All Australian school-age children are legally required to attend school everyday. Unexplained absences can cause legal problems for your family, including financial penalties. Legal requirements are different for every state and territory.

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. 
• Find out about the school’s attendance policies and procedures. 
• 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.

If you feel you have tried everything.

• 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.
• It is likely that the school has noticed inconsistent attendance and have attempted to make contact. Be open and honest with the school about what is going on for your teenager so additional supports can be explored.

If you would like support, please email Pascale Street (Guidance Officer) to arrange an appointment – ppier6@eq.edu.au or contact 5555 3333 and request a return phone call in relation to supporting your child.