Facts About School Refusals

One in 10 students refuses to attend school. What happens when that child is yours? School refusal can happen for a variety of reasons, and it’s challenging for your child and you. Because school participation is important for your child, understand the facts about school refusal. Use this fact sheet to help you and your child identify, manage, and relieve school refusal.

What is School Refusal?

School refusal describes when your child decides not to go to school for any reason. Sometimes, school refusal occurs because of a phobia about a specific object or situation, such as the fire alarm or noisy lunchtime cafeteria. School refusal is often wider than one specific phobia, though, and chronic school refusal affects grades, academic retention,

Talk to the school. Ask for details about your child’s grades, behavior and interactions with other kids.

3. Look at your child’s friendships. Is he isolated or participating in adverse behavior?

4. Assess her health. Does your child experience a chronic health condition that makes school uncomfortable or challenging?

Steps to Take if Your Child Exhibits School Refusal

School refusal can become a habit, particularly if you don’t address the root cause of your child’s school refusal or your child falls behind in classes. That's why you should take school refusal seriously, whether it occurs once or often. You owe it to your child to give her the tools she needs to cope with school or to address the challenges she faces.

1. Address the situation immediately. The longer you wait, the more time your child could be off school.

2. Take your child’s concerns seriously. Listen carefully to discern your child’s feelings, thoughts, and concerns, and reassure him that you care about his safety.

3. Remain firm but calm. The situation requires understanding, not anger, as you discern the cause of the school refusal and address your child’s needs.

4. Discern the root cause of school refusal. Talk to your child, school and doctor for clues about why your child refuses to attend