Children who feel anxious about going to school need support to access both the academic and the social benefits of schooling. The authors of this book carefully separate those who refuse to go to school for emotional reasons from truants. They suggest a careful analysis of the school refuser's anxieties before developing a programme of return to school.
Schools often blame parents for allowing a child to stay at home. Meanwhile, parents may feel powerless when confronted with a traumatised child, especially if the school response is unsympathetic. However, the more regular and lengthy the absences from school, the more the child falls behind in their school work and the more detached they become from friends. Home schooling and spells in pupil referral units may address the immediate issues, but only a controlled period of gradual re-introduction to school will allow the child to overcome their anxieties.
The transition to secondary school is often a key time when anxiety develops, so careful observation of attendance and early intervention are essential. Without the right support, refusing to go to school is likely to become a vicious cycle of fear and avoidance.
With little agreement nationally on definitions of school refusal, this book is a useful summary of what we know to date. It also offers advice for parents and professionals who are new to the subject. The summary points are a helpful checklist for those more familiar with school refusal.
