Minds Matter
From your College Counsellor
Six years of high school is roughly 1, 080 days of school morning routine or chaos.
Are you feeling like the school mornings are a ‘battle of wills?’ You are not alone. School refusal is a difficulty experienced by numerous families with school aged young people that can occur at any year level. We acknowledge that COVID-19 and ongoing concerns around illness have been disruptive to everyone, particularly young people in school. It’s exhausting for the young person and parents alike.
If you notice an increasing number of days off, or a reluctance to attend school, where do you start?
- Explore your young person’s point of view and validate their emotional experience.
- Provide reassurance.
- Do not facilitate avoidance behaviour, as this reduces their capacity to cope in the future.
- Access external support through a private professional (mental health social worker, psychologist or counsellor). There is no harm in connecting with a professional early.
- Strive for consistency - If you say you will implement a consequence or incentive and rewards, follow through with it.
- Reach out to the year level pastoral guardian to start the conversation around how we can support the young person once they’re at school (particularly if there is identified stress around workload or bullying).
I have included a resource booklet for parents; Responding to school reluctance or refusal - Strategies for parents.
School refusal is most successfully treated if identified and addressed early. The longer the young person remains away from school, the more difficult it will be for them to return to school. Without treatment and support, there is increased risk of escalating mental health issues and problems with social skills, avoidance and the skills required for independence in daily living and occupational difficulties in early adulthood.
If you have any questions or concerns that you’d like to discuss, or want to brainstorm some ideas to get started, please contact counsellor@mta.qld.edu.au.
Jess Sexton
Guidance Counsellor/Mental Health Social Worker
References
Raising Children Network, Australia (2021) School Refusal – Children and Teenagershttps://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/school-learning/school-refusal/school-refusal