More Young Australians are Opting Out of Traditional School Attendance
In Australia, there has been a significant increase in young individuals refusing to attend school, with the pandemic playing a significant role in this trend.
Anxiety and psychological distress levels among young people have been on the rise, accelerated by COVID-19 lockdown measures, leading to a rise in school refusal cases.
The attendance level, which represents the percentage of students with an attendance rate of 90% or higher, saw an even more drastic decrease from 71.2% in 2021 to 50% in 2022.
Instead of students simply attending school less frequently, there has been an increase in children and teens distressed at the prospect of going to school, known as school refusal.
Shannon Clark, a senior researcher at the Department of Parliamentary Services, explained the distinction between school refusal, truancy, and exclusion.
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic
Professor Marie Yap from Monash University’s Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health highlighted the influence of student mental health, parent-child relationships, teaching staff support, and bullying on school attendance.
Neurodivergent children, in particular, may have struggled with the switch between online and face-to-face schooling due to routine disruptions, impacting their school experience.
Ms. Yap suggested that parents should watch for early signs of school refusal in their children and respond promptly and empathetically.
Advice for Parents
Parents are encouraged to acknowledge and validate their child’s distress about attending school, even when they may not fully comprehend it, and find creative ways for their child to express themselves.
