School avoidance: what to do if your teen is missing school. 34
What do you think of this episode? Do you have any topics you'd like me to cover?
The 'social contract' between families and schools has been broken during the pandemic, and ongoing absence of kids is a 'deep and concerning problem' according to Amanda Spielman, chief of the UK schools watchdog. Rates of school refusal and truanting are a huge problem in other countries too.
Finding the right approach for dealing with it is crucial, because whatever the reason for missing school it takes a lot of fixing and is a symptom of something else that needs to be unpicked.
RESOURCES:
The printable anxiety iceberg sheet:
https://phecanada.ca/sites/default/files/content/docs/teach-resiliency/Iceberg.jpg
How to make a self-soothe box:
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/blog/how-to-make-a-self-soothe-box/
A really good blog that works through steps you can take:
https://medium.com/@ArthurCWoods/help-my-teenager-wont-return-to-school-d770203fcbac
Book: The Ultimate Guide to Working with your School: The School Avoidance Masterclass for Parents,” Jane Demsky
Can’t Not Won’t - Eliza Fricker, helping and understanding children who are unable to go to school.
https://naomi-fisher.mykajabi.com/notfineatschool
RESEARCH AND LINKS TO HELP:
www.schoolrefusal.co.uk
Parenting Tips 26: How to help your teen with friendship skills.
Parenting Tips 19: What if you don't like your teen's friends?
Parenting Tips 17: The lying teenager.
Parenting Tips 16: Boy friendships.
Parenting Tips 14: Anxiety.
Parenting Tips 12: Bullying.
Parenting Tips 10: Girls navigating friendship groups.
Parenting Tips 5: The academic struggler.
- https://raisingchildren.net.au/pre-teens/school-education/truancy-other-school-problems/truancy-9-15-years
- https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/school-anxiety-and-refusal/#:~:text=About%20the%20term%20'school%20ref
OtoZen — a new driving safety app
Are you worried about your teenager getting distracted behind the wheel?
The OtoZen app helps in real time — not just after something’s gone wrong. It has voice alerts, drive scores, and even safe driving challenges you can set together, it’s the kind of tech that actually helps your teen build better habits.
OtoZen — a new driving safety app
OtoZen helps build better habits in real time with voice alerts, drive scores, and safey challenges.
This episode is sponsored by OtoZen: The brilliant new driving safety app
https://www.otozen.com
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I don't have medical training so please seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping.
My email is teenagersuntangled@gmail.com
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You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk