school refusal

School refusal (sometimes called school avoidance) is not the same as truancy which is wagging school to find more entertaining ways of spending the day.  This is a child refusing to go to school because of the deep anxiety they are feeling in relation to school.  There was a marked increase in school refusal at the end of the pandemic because children had been away from school for so long that they no longer felt inclined to engage in school life.  There are other factors that can cause distress: bullying, a sense of inadequacy, tension with a particular teacher, anxiety about exams, an inability to form friendships, difficulties in their family life.

The school refuser can be persuaded to return if their anxiety is laid to rest.  This means finding out what the problem is, making a plan for how to deal with it (in collaboration with the school), employing relaxation techniques, and possibly getting professional help.