Student Wellbeing
By Mrs Jenny Gillespie, College Counsellor
When Teens Don’t Want to Go to School…
School Attendance
The second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing examined links between school attendance and mental health. The Report suggested that early intervention when problems arise is crucial to positive educational and health outcomes over time.
School Refusal
There is no universally agreed definition of school refusal or avoidance but common to most definitions is student avoidance of school for an extended period. This includes situations where students miss specific lessons on days when they do attend school. These absences are often known to parents and carers. It is generally accepted that school refusal is complex and comes with multiple contributing factors.
A definition that may be useful comes from Maynard, et al (2018) who defined school refusal as featuring:
- reluctance or refusal to attend school, often leading to prolonged absences
- staying at home during school hours with parents’ knowledge rather than concealing the problem from parents
- experience of emotional distress at the prospect of attending school (e.g. somatic complaints, anxiety, and unhappiness)
- absence of severe antisocial behaviour
- parental efforts to secure their child’s attendance at school
As a School Counsellor, I would say it is typical for many teens to find it hard to get going after the holidays or occasionally miss school or not want to go to school every day; however, for some students avoiding school can become a problem, and if left unchecked, may also contribute to mental health difficulties over time.
Resources
Many resources exist to support families to understand the nature of school refusal as well as potential responses.
Please contact your Pastoral Academic Leader or Student Counsellor if any further information is required or if you are concerned about your child’s school refusal.