If your primary or high school-aged child is refusing to go to school and will not be persuaded, forced or bribed, this workshop is for you!

And you are not alone! Approximately 1 in 20 Australian students experience school refusal and this rate is increasing, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.

School refusal, aka 'School Can't', is different from just not liking school. Children and young people experiencing 'school can't' feel genuine emotional distress, often stemming from social and/or separation anxiety. We understand that handling your child's overwhelming emotions day after day and juggling the ongoing disruptions to family routines is incredibly stressful for parents and carers, too.

If this is your family, join experienced youth workers to learn the emotion coaching approach to respond to this situation effectively.

Learn to:

Stay calm and 'in tune' to coach your child through their overwhelming feelings and bring awareness to the root causes
Accept and validate their experience and feelings, while building their skills to calm down and de-stress
Work together to develop effective coping strategies that build the resilience needed to return to school
Advocate for your child at school to reduce stressors and set them up for success