I have an 18 year old who is attending Tafe after years of school refusal due to bullying that the high school refused to address. A 15 year old who also refused to go to school, because he hates it and refused to engage. He’s now got a worker from the Navigator program to help him with education and employment options.
My problem is my 12 year old who is also absolutely refusing to go. He used to love school! He’d be the first one there. These last 3 months, he’s absolutely refusing to go. I’ve had the principal come to the house to get him. Sometimes he listens to her, sometimes he swears and refuses to get out of bed. I’ve had numerous talks with him about how it’s illegal to stay home and he could be taken off he and put into foster care. Nothing is working. I don’t know what to do.
Let me also add I have an older child who had no issues, they are at university now.
What do I do? He’s too big for me to drag into the car and into class.
School refusal
School refusal
Posted in:
Education, Behaviour, Teenagers, Tips and Advice, Puberty
6 Replies
These kids need professional help and support. Do they have any diagnoses? Autism, ADHD, anxiety etc? Have they seen psychologists? Headspace? Community groups?
Are there reasons they are refusing? They're crying out to be heard.
None have a diagnoses and we have a social worker from Uniting, the middle one has a worker from Navigator program. They’re being heard.
Are they though? You sound like you're very busy. It's possible that these kids have needs that mean they're not suited to formal learning environments. It's in their best interests to investigate it. Kids who aren't heard and supported turn into kids who act out.
Something missing in this story, what’s going on at home?
Have these kids suffered trauma of some sort? Diagnosis?
No diagnoses. Shift working single mother, left domestic violence ten years ago. Nothing at all recently to cause this refusal.
What's going on?? Is it that high school? You need to know their issue to be able to solve it. Nobody wants to stay in bed forever , that's a reaction.