Is your child not coming to school?

father and son talking child not in school

Truancy, also known as school refusal, is when children and young people feel uncomfortable coming to school and therefore try to stay home.

There can be many reasons why your child doesn't want to go to school. It could be that they are being bullied, don't feel like they fit in with the class or find it difficult to keep up with the lessons. Whatever the reason, it's important to take truancy seriously.

School absenteeism is seen in both girls and boys. There are often many reasons why your child doesn't want to go to school, so it can be difficult to pinpoint the cause. Sometimes it's not the school itself that's the problem, but conflicts and challenges at home or with friends that make it difficult to cope with the demands and social life at school.

Truancy can start suddenly, but it can also develop over time. While it can be hard to tell what the progression looks like, there are some indicators that parents should be aware of:

  • Your child will be absent from school for several days - maybe even weeks/months.
  • Your child has physical symptoms such as headaches, nausea or stomach pain.
  • Your child is anxious, has mood swings, experiences sleep problems and/or is generally depressed.

These are just some of many different examples of how school refusal can manifest itself.

It's important to address truancy early. This is because the longer your child or loved one is absent from school, the harder it will be to get back into the classroom. However, it needs to be done in a gentle way where the child is actively involved in the solution.

It's a good idea to involve the school in the process so that you, the school and your child can come to an agreement on how best to tackle the school absence. There can be many different solutions, so it's important that your child is comfortable with the process so that it doesn't exacerbate their school absence.

Absence from school over a long period of time is not the same as laziness and truancy. It's a complex issue that needs to be taken seriously by everyone around your child.

At headspace Family, parents can come in with their problems and be met with sparring and support. We also offer that you can come in with your children if you wish.

In addition, we also have our counseling services headspace for children and young people between the ages of 12 and 25 who are unhappy. Read more about our counseling services here here.

Source of information
EMU
MW clinic
School children
BUPL