Young Australians Even More Unenthusiastic About Going to School: Research

In Australia, there has been a large increase in young people refusing to attend school and the pandemic is believed to have played a major role in this trend.

Classroom stationary is seen at Toorak College in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 31, 2022. AAP Image/Con Chronis

As anxiety and psychological distress levels are increasing among young people, which was accelerated by COVID-19 lockdown measures, a phenomenon of school refusal has also become more prevalent.

Data collected by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority shows the national attendance rate for students in Years 1 to 10 had dropped from 91.4 percent in 2019 to 86.5 percent in 2022.

The figures for attendance level—percentage of students whose attendance rate was 90 percent or higher—saw an even more dramatic drop from 71.2 percent in 2021 to 50 percent in 2022.

However, rather than going to class less often, Australia is seeing an increasing number of children and teenagers distressed at the mere thought of attending school—called school refusal.

Shannon Clark, senior researcher at the Department of Parliamentary Services, explained that school refusal was difference to truancy and exclusion.

“It differs from other forms of school attendance problems in terms of the distress experienced, and in that parents and carers typically know about their child’s absence from school and have tried to get them to attend,” she wrote in a 2023 parliamentary paper on the issue.

“Young people with school refusal are often diagnosed with anxiety disorders.”

Students who experience school refusal are at higher risk of dropping out of school early, and it can also negatively impact their social and emotional development into adulthood.

A spokesperson from the Department of Education told The Epoch Times in an email that every day of school missed, is a day of learning lost.

“Regular school attendance is critical to successful student outcomes and engagement,” the spokesperson said.

A mother hugs and says goodbye to her daughter at her school gates in Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 20, 2023. Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic

Professor Marie Yap from Monash University’s Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health said student mental health and coping skills, parent-child relationship, supportive teaching staff, and bullying all have an effect on school attendance.

“The COVID pandemic impacted many of these factors for children across the world, with some being disproportionately affected,” she told The Epoch Times in an email.

In particular, neurodivergent children are more sensitive to routine disruption, so switching between online and face-to-face schooling may have tarnished their school experience.

Ms. Yap said the switch may have overwhelmed the coping capacity of neurodivergent children, increasing their distress about attending school.

Additionally, parents whose jobs and financial security were impacted by the pandemic may have struggled to also support their child’s mental health and learning.

The ongoing teacher shortage and high turnover rates are also causing disruptions to the supportive teaching environment students thrive in.

Advice for Parents

Ms. Yap said parents should look for early signs of their child not wanting to attend school and respond as promptly and supportively as possible.

She recommends that parents validate their child’s distress about attending school, even if they don’t understand it.

Ms. Yap said parents should try creative ways to help their children express themselves such as drawing or writing.

“Parents need a good understanding of the reasons behind their child’s distress about school—this is important for identifying what types of support and responses would be most helpful for their child.”

Parents should also assure their child that they will help them overcome issues about school.

Meanwhile, Matthew Bach, teacher and former Victorian shadow education minister, believes school refusers need more “tough love” from parents.

“It may ruffle some feathers to say so, but it is the responsibility of parents, not governments, to fix [school refusal],” Mr. Bach wrote in an opinion piece in 2023.

He noted that he saw an increasing number of parents who wanted to be their child’s friend, rather than their guide and corrector.

“School refusal stems from anxiety, which—as we know—is a serious mental health condition. And because of this, parents naturally empathise deeply with their children,” he said.

“Yet what the growing number of children who refuse to attend school need most is tough love. Going to school must simply be non-negotiable.”

Getting Support

Meanwhile, Ms. Yap said parents should record concerns and absences, and communicate these with the school to understand non-attendance patterns, for example, a common day or time of absence.

She said that once they better understand the underlying causes of their child’s distress, parents can work with their child, the school, and other involved professionals to develop a supportive plan.

“It may also be helpful to speak with school staff as soon as possible, as they may have insights into what the child might be experiencing at school,” she said.

If needed, parents should seek professional help for their child and themselves or find a support group to join and share experiences with.

Role of Schools

Schools can be invaluable in supporting students struggling with distress about attending school.

Data from the ACARA shows that attendance rates across non-government schools are higher than those in government schools.

Catholic and independent schools have attendance rates of over 90 percent, slightly higher than 87.5 percent in government schools. Independent schools, also have the lowest student-to-teacher ratio.

Ms. Yap said school staff in regular contact with students are well-positioned to identify early signs of distress or disengagement in a student and take action to support them.

“This includes expressing their observations and concern to the student directly to find out if there is anything they can do to better support the student at school,” she said.

“It is important that this is done in a non-judgemental and non-punitive way, to assure the student that the school staff just wants to help (i.e. the student is ‘not in trouble’).

“It also includes communicating with the student’s parents about their observations, so that the school and family can work in partnership to best support the student.”

Parents and schools also should try to maintain a positive, non-blaming attitude towards each other because a strong family-school partnership centred on the child is key to supporting school attendance.