What is school refusal and what can we do about it? School refusal is usually defined as the signs of anxiety a school-age child has causing them to resist or even refuse going to school.
In pre-pandemic times, there were students who did not want to go to school, and it was relatively rare and mostly teenagers. During the pandemic, all students received an approximation of services while being at home all the time. Whether from enjoyment of being home, being afraid of germs, or some other reason, in the past several years we have seen a LOT more students including kindergarteners and first-graders who are either in the starting stages of school refusal, heading far down the path of school refusal, or refuse to attend school at all.
Often it starts slowly with the student taking longer over breakfast, not liking what they are wearing to school, negotiating whether to go to school, and other delaying tactics. Parents can frequently cajole students to attend school with persuasion, rewards, and/or incentives. Other students are on time some days, and late on others.
We get concerned about school refusal when it becomes a pattern of behavior. Once or twice is not usually grounds for deep concern. When a student is highly resistant or refuses to go to school often, parents may wish to consider whether the student is headed towards school refusal, and begin taking additional steps to support their child.
Some parents find the frequent negotiation about attending school challenging, and wonder when it will end. Others realize there is a problem when they get a truancy notice from the school attendance office because their student has been late one time too many times.
Often if the family can get help early on in the school refusal process, the resolution is much quicker than if the help does not come until after the student refuses to leave their home to attend school. There are supports and services the IEP Team can provide to help your student early in the process if needed. We have a lot of experience with these supports and services, and can help navigate the special education maze with you to get your student back in school.
For help at your child’s next IEP meeting, more information about our special education advocacy services, or for a FREE 20-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit for you, call or email today!
As parents, we understand. As advocates, we can help.