These are resources that have been prepared for use by parents and families who are invested in school attendance. They may be relevant to the prevention of absenteeism, identifying the early signs of a school attendance problem, or responding to a chronic or severe attendance problem. If you are looking for resources in a language other than English, please check the ‘My Country’ menu.
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Journal articles
- Kearney, C.A. (2006). Solutions to school refusal for parents and kids: Pinpoint and address reinforcers of the child’s behavior. Current Psychiatry, 5, 67-69, 73-76, 78, 83. (Reprinted in part from Journal of Family Practice article with extra material at editor’s request).
- Kearney, C.A. (2006). Solutions to school refusal for parents and kids: Pinpoint and address reinforcers of the child’s behavior. Current Psychiatry, 5, 67-69, 73-76, 78, 83. (Reprinted in part from Journal of Family Practice article with extra material at editor’s request).
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Books and Book Chapters
- Kearney, C.A. (2021). Getting your child back to school: A parent’s guide to solving school attendance problems, revised and updated edition. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Kearney, C.A., & Haight, C. (2011). Avoidance and school refusal. In G.P. Koocher & A.M. La Greca (Eds.), The parent’s guide to psychological first aid: Helping children and adolescents cope with predictable life crises (pp. 206-212). New York: Oxford University Press.
- Kearney, C.A. (2007). Getting your child to say “yes” to school: A guide for parents of youth with school refusal behavior. New York: Oxford University Press.
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Websites
SCHOOL AVOIDANCE ALLIANCE
In The United States, Jayne Demsky witnessed that many schools carry vast assumptions and misinterpretations of school refusal, its underlying causes, and the distress the kids and families face as they live these scenarios day after day. After seven years of running her school refusal website for parents, Jayne realized that to affect change, she needs to include educating educators and their schools by promoting school refusal awareness, sharing facts and best practices to help get kids back to school. Having schools understand School Avoidance will help improve their empathy, support, and assistance. Jayne just launched SchoolAvoidane.Org, the School Avoidance Alliance, to accelerate this information flow to help students, families, and schools more effectively. She is dedicated to changing misconceptions about this condition and promoting evidence-based solutions for school refusal. For more information, you can reach her at jayne@schoolrefusalhope.org, or www.SchoolAvoidance.Org or @SchoolAvoidance on Twitter.
COPING WITH SCHOOL REFUSAL
A webpage with information for parents about 'coping with school refusal'.
CYBERBULLYING
Top Tips for Preventing Cyberbullying.
DEFINE FINE
Parent Peer Support for School Attendance Difficulties
SCHOOL REFUSAL FAMILIES
A website called focused on school refusal, prepared by a person conducting research in this area
SCHOOL PHOBIA / SCHOOL REFUSAL AUSTRALIA
A parent-created website offering peer support for Australian families with children & teens experiencing school refusal (or as we call it, school can't)
TIS BETTER TO HAVE FEARED AND FLED, THAN NEVER TO HAVE FEARED AT ALL
A blogg about school refusal
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CHILD REFUSES TO GO TO SCHOOL
A podcast, based on an interview with Dr. Jonathan Dalton, Director of the Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Change.
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Information Sheets
- 'Responding to school reluctance or refusal: Strategies for parents', based on international expert consensus on supporting children experiencing school reluctance or school refusal. This information sheet was prepared by researchers from Monash University, The University of Melbourne, and Deakin University, in Australia. Author: Parenting Strategies Program (2022).
- 'School refusal: A small guide to supporting school attendance', written for those personnel working at schools and in student welfare who meet with children and young people who are often absent from school, and also written for their parents and guardians. Authors of the booklet are J. Sergejeff, T. Pilbacka-Rönkä, and H. Mantila.
- A handout for parents, about how they can support a child with school refusal
- A handout for parents with information and strategies to help them assist their child or adolescent who has been refusing to attend school
