Truancy is when a child chooses to miss school and is hiding it from their parents.
Kids with school avoidance are not attending school in plain sight of their parents. Their parents know where they are; in their home. Oftentimes, isolating themselves in their bedroom.
Kids with school avoidance are not attending school in plain sight of their parents. Their parents know where they are; in their home. Oftentimes, isolating themselves in their bedroom.
They want to be in school but their distress is keeping them from being there. Parents are usually committed to helping get their children back to school. (unless they are in denial or have extreme problems of their own).
Treating school avoidance with punitive measures will only exacerbate the problem and reduce your chances of helping this student return to your school.
Almost all parents who have kids with school avoidance will tell you that the truancy letters sent home are like a dagger in the heart.
The message they convey to parents with school avoidant kids is:
If parents acknowledge their child’s school avoidance and are working with you to help get them back to school, then you could stop sending these hurtful reminders.
Unfortunately only a small percentage of school professionals, therapists, educational advocates and policy makers understand school avoidance best practices. So, you must become the expert to ensure your child is getting:
The time passing slowly without progress is the worst feeling. It wouldn’t have taken five years of suffering and uncertainty if I had this expert guidance during my son’s school avoidance. We would have saved $29,000 in lawyer fees and $69,000 for private schools.
