School Refusal: What to Do When Your Child Won't Go (and It Isn't 'Just Behaviour')
8 min read
School refusal is rarely about school. Here's how to read what's underneath, and what to actually do this week.
Refusal vs. anxiety vs. burnout
These look identical from the outside and need very different responses. The pattern, not the moment, tells you which one you're dealing with.
What to do this week
- Get curious, not corrective — find the specific trigger
- Lower the bar to 'in the building' for a few days
- Loop in the school as partners, not judges
- Protect afternoons and weekends for recovery
- Escalate to a professional if it lasts beyond two weeks