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Highvale Secondary College Newsletter
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Healthy Minds @Highvale

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Victoria STOJANOVSKI

Mental Health Practioner

 

 

Supporting students who find school difficult

We know some students experience emotional distress, anxiety or avoidance that makes attending school hard. This is often called school refusal. Below are quick, practical ways we as a school and you as carers can work together to help students feel safer and return to learning.

 

What is school refusal?

 

  • Ongoing difficulty attending school because a student feels anxious, overwhelmed or distressed. 

  • Different from truancy: students are usually at home and upset, not deliberately skipping school.

     

How the school can help

  • Wellbeing team meetings with carers and students to understand needs and plan support. 

  • Individualised return-to-school plans with gradual reintegration, timetable adjustments and regular check-ins. 

  • On-site counselling and teacher liaison to support transitions, workload and social needs. 

  • With consent, referrals to external health or mental-health services.

 

Tips for carers

  • Respond calmly and empathetically & acknowledge feelings while keeping expectations for attendance. 

  • Maintain consistent routines (sleep, meals, daily structure). 

  • Encourage small, achievable steps (e.g., part-day attendance). 

  • Keep the school informed — don’t extend unexplained absences. 

  • Seek medical or mental-health help if there are signs of severe anxiety, withdrawal or self-harm.

 

If your child needs additional support beyond school services, these pathways can help you access the right care:

  • 24/7 Maternal and Child Health Line - 13 22 29 

  • Headspace - 1800 650 890 (support for young people aged 12 to 25 years)

  • Kids Helpline - 1800 551 800 (free, private, and confidential telephone and online counselling service for young people aged between 5 and 25 years)

  • The Orange Door (offers help for people experiencing family violence and assistance with the care and wellbeing of young people)

  • Lifeline – 13 11 14 (providing all Australians experiencing emotional distress with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services)