Rethinking Engagement and Attendance – A Student Re-engagement Model for Schools

School attendance has become one of the most pressing challenges facing schools all over the globe, yet the conversation often centres on the numbers rather than the young people behind them. When a student stops coming to school, the absence itself is usually the most visible part of a much longer story. 

Rethinking Engagement and Attendance explores what sits beneath school refusal and disengagement, and why traditional attendance responses often fall short for students experiencing anxiety, overwhelm or a breakdown in their connection to school. 

The session introduces Can’t Face School’s Tier 2 re-engagement model: Work It Out (WIO) program. This is built on a 3 phase reengagement framework and designed to sit within a whole school wellbeing support strategy.

Drawing on outcomes from more than 200 families virtually supported between 2022 and 2026, the webinar examines how schools can identify emerging attendance concerns earlier, how students, families and staff can work together on a shared plan, and how trust and belonging are rebuilt step by step. It also considers where well-intentioned responses can unintentionally deepen avoidance.

In this webinar, Richard will share the thinking behind the WIO framework and discuss the practical implications for schools. He will explore what students and families need during the re-engagement process, how school leaders and wellbeing teams can respond more deliberately, and why the work does not end once a student walks back through the gate.

This online live webinar will run for 45minutes + Q&A.

This webinar is designed for principals and school leaders, along with the wellbeing and student support staff, teachers and year-level coordinators who work alongside students every day. It will also be valuable for anyone who plays a part in supporting student attendance and engagement and wants a deeper understanding of how to help young people reconnect with school.