60,000 kids out of school as parents are warned of little-known 'syndrome'

As many as 60,000 students do not show up for school on any given day with a little known syndrome - school refusal or school avoidance - responsible for a number of those absences.

Tusla explains that school refusal syndrome or as it’s more commonly known, school avoidance behaviour refers to a child’s refusal to attend school or difficulty remaining in school for an entire day. Parents are being told to watch out for the signs and symptoms.

“Refusal to go to school may happen at any age but most typically occurs in children 5-7 years of age and in those 11-14 years of age. Generally, the child refuses to attend school and experiences significant distress about the idea of attending school. This can be very frustrating for you as a parent,” a circular to parents explains.

“Although each child is different, there are signs that you can look out for that may indicate your child is struggling to attend or stay in school:

“Worry or fear related to school; Sleeping difficulties and fatigue; Change of mood or a negativity towards school, subjects, or teachers; Increased self-consciousness about their appearance or perceived appearance in school; Lack of engagement with school activities, outings, trips, sports teams; Poor sense of school belonging (‘nobody in that school likes me’)”

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Parentline says that on any given day in Ireland approximately 60,000 children do not show up for school.

“The numbers of calls to Parentline on school avoidance and school related issues have doubled over the past two years. Many children are sick or absent with good reason. But thousands of others have simply refused to attend, despite the pleadings of their parents,” they said.

They had advice for parents who feel “powerless” in the situation of school avoidance:

“This can make parents feel powerless as it is difficult to simply force a child to school. Parentline receives a huge amount of calls from parents on school avoidance. In 2022, one in almost every ten calls related to school avoidance or school related issues.

“A child may have an undiagnosed condition, they might be victims of bullying or they might have an issue with a teacher or someone in authority. They may be rebelling against authority or questioning the value of school and rules. Or they may be anxious about friendships or a particular class. The more anxious a child feels, the more they panic and want to avoid going. It’s a matter of trying to get to the root of their unhappiness and then discuss what can be done to alleviate it.

“School avoidance can make parents feel as though they have somehow failed, even though it is generally not their fault. It can require collaborative interaction between the child, the parents and the school, to resolve it.

“The key is to get the child to overcome their fears and get back into the school system. The longer a child avoids school, the more difficult the habit is to overcome. Times of transition can also present challenges for children, so school avoidance can be a particular issue among those starting school, again at the other end of primary school and then in the first couple of years of secondary school.

“The key is to give them the tools or get them to talk to somebody who will give them the tools to get back into the school system. Parentline offers just that guidance and support.”

Tusla issued a step-by-step guide for parents on where they can get that support.

“Talk to the school. Speak with the class teacher, principal or Home School Liaison
Officer about your current situation and ask them for advice. They may be able to come up with a plan between you, your child and the school which may help solve the issue.

“GP or Mental Health supports. If you have spoken with the school and come up with a plan but are not seeing improvements, there may be more going on for your child. Have you noticed a change in their mood? Are they low or withdrawn? There are loads of
services in the community that work with children around their feelings. Your GP would be a good point of contact for a referral or signposting to these services.

“Where else can I access supports? If your GP does not feel there are any emotional issues or does not refer or signpost you to any services, there are other services you can contact for information and support:

“Any parent can contact the Tusla Educational Support Service (TESS) who can give you advice in relation to school refusal or avoidance without necessarily opening a file to an Education Welfare Officer. You can find the most up to date contact details
for your local TESS office on the Tusla website.

“Any parent can also contact their local Tusla Child and Family Support Network Coordinator (CFSN) who will have information on all services that support children and families in the area. They can also discuss the Meitheal process with you which is a parent led process of bringing all services currently available to your child together to come up with an action plan for moving forward. You can find the contact details for your local CFSN Coordinator on the Tusla website or by contacting your local Tusla office.

“Many areas will also have a Family Resource Centre who have a range of free supports available for children and parents including counselling, play therapy, parenting groups, youth groups etc. You can find contact information for your local Family Resource Centre on the Tusla website.”