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Our new fully immersive virtual workplace tours allow students to roam behind the scenes and discover the interesting work that happens in a range of exciting workplaces.

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Intensive interventions for emotionally based school avoidance: a scoping review of program structures and therapeutic levers

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Intensive interventions for emotionally based school avoidance: a scoping review of program structures and therapeutic levers

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Lux Ratnamohan and Erin Smith and Peter McInnis and Rebecca Somervaille and Sophie Champion and Hugh Cooney and David Heyne

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Frontiers | Intensive interventions for emotionally based school avoidance: a scoping review of program structures and therapeutic levers

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BackgroundA substantial proportion of children and adolescents with emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) do not benefit from outpatient mental health in…

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Young volunteers and safeguarding | NSPCC Learning

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Young volunteers and safeguarding | NSPCC Learning

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Young volunteers and safeguarding | NSPCC Learning

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Find out what you need to do support young volunteers in your organisation and keep them safe. Covers recruitment, induction and safeguarding.

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Scouts - Explorer Scout Young Leaders’ Scheme

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Scouts - Explorer Scout Young Leaders’ Scheme

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Scouts - Explorer Scout Young Leaders’ Scheme

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Find out how you can take part in the Explorer Scout Young Leaders’ Scheme as a young person or adult volunteer

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Girls aged 14-17 can volunteer for Girlguiding, inspire younger girls, develop leadership skills and boost their CV by becoming a young leader.

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Youth Volunteering & First Aid Training - Cadets | St John Ambulance

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Find out more about St John Ambulance’s Cadets, a great opportunity for teens and young people to get involved in volunteering, learn first aid, and build confidence and leadership skills.

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Would you like to join the fastest growing uniformed youth group in the UK?

Volunteer Police Cadets operates in every force across England & Wales with Scotland being known as Police Scotland Youth Volunteers but still operating under the same principles.

The Mini Police and Junior VPC are growing schemes that do not currently operate across every Police Force, please contact your local force to find out more.

It is our vision within our strategy that in the future we aim to achieve a seamless journey from 8 yrs to adulthood through the VPC.

We welcome cadets from any background, social group, gender, ethnicity, ability / disability and whether you have an interest in the police or not.

We welcome young people who may have previously been in trouble with the police or may feel some disconnection with their peers and community.

We are not looking to recruit future police officers, but want to give all young people a chance to be heard, support their community and develop skills to become fantastic citizens in a fun, friendly and exciting way.

There is nothing else like the VPC - it is a unique experience for young people to become part of the policing family for many years.

Benefits of being a cadet

Make new friendships

Take part in fun and exciting activities

Support your own community through volunteering and social action projects

Challenge yourself to learn and develop new skills

Gain an insight into British policing

"I used to get into trouble at school when I was 13 and I had no direction. The VPC gave me some purpose and believed in me as a person. My self-esteem grew and I stopped getting into trouble. I am now 17 and am looking forward to becoming a Volunteer Team Leader for the VPC when I'm 18 and inspiring cadets who may have a similar background to me. It has been great fun and I have made many new friends."

Joining the VPC
Leicestershire cadets expressing why they joined the VPC.
Look at our News and Events page and our newsfeeds to see what other like-minded young people are doing with their units.

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Volunteer Police Cadets operates in every force across England & Wales with Scotland being known as Police Scotland Youth Volunteers but still operating under the same principles. The Mini Police and Junior VPC are growing schemes that do not currently operate across every Police Force, please contact your local force to find out more.

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Opportunities for young people | British Red Cross

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Opportunities for young people | British Red Cross

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Find out more about work experience, placements and volunteering opportunities for young people.

As the largest humanitarian organisation in the world, we have a variety of volunteering roles, work experience opportunities and placements.

You can volunteer in many of our services from age 15.

There are opportunities to learn new skills, boost your CV and your confidence, and get to know more about how charities work.

No matter how much time you have or whatever your experience, there's a role to suit everyone.
Search for a volunteering role

Volunteering for young people

Volunteer with us to help vulnerable people and make a difference in your community. You can search for a range of volunteer roles near you and get involved in your community.

Benefits of volunteering

improve your CV

gain skills and experience

meet new people

get certification for your time, whether that's through our internal programme, or the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) scheme

join the largest humanitarian Movement in the world.

Search for a volunteering opportunity near you

Volunteering at university

If you are a university student you can get involved in the British Red Cross on Campus scheme where you can campaign, fundraise and raise awareness of the British Red Cross.

If you do not have a group at your university, you can set one up by contacting your students' union or association for support and funding.

Contact the team for advice and support and download our free information pack.

Volunteer placements

Make a difference to people's lives on a volunteer placement with the British Red Cross. You could be developing a project, working on a marketing campaign, or conducting research.

Please note that our volunteer placements are not paid opportunities.

Benefits of our placements

join training and development courses

receive an induction and supervision from an experienced staff member

get a certificate and reference on completion of your placement

join the largest humanitarian Movement in the world.

Search for a volunteer placement
When searching for a placement, please use the word 'placements' to filter all opportunities.

Work experience

If you're aged 15 to 18, you can apply for a one-week work experience placement with us.

From marketing to HR to finance, we offer a range of opportunities to gain experience and improve your CV. We also offer virtual work experience opportunities which you can do from home.

How to apply for work experience

We are accepting applications for work experience between 8 April 2024 and 7 June 2024. Please note, applications made outside of these dates will not be accepted. We'll do everything we can to create an opportunity for you, but we cannot promise that it will be possible. Most work experience will usually take place in July and August.

You will need to let us know:

your date of birth

the week you would like to do work experience

your preferred area of interest - for example, you might want to focus on fundraising, international work, HR, finance, IT, facilities and maintenance, youth engagement, marketing or business development

why you would like to do work experience at the British Red Cross.

Please also send a CV if you have one.

You can apply by emailing: workexperience@redcross.org.uk.

Volunteering abroad

Join our and g ain new skills, experience a different culture, and help people in crisis.

If you're aged between 18 and 30, you could volunteer across Europe for 8 to 12 months.

We particularly welcome applications from people of Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

What do international youth volunteers do?

You can choose from a wide range of placements. You could volunteer with young people, refugees, people with disabilities or other vulnerable individuals.

All our placements are full-time volunteering roles which support British Red Cross services in the UK and overseas.

Certificate

Every volunteer will get a Youthpass certificate, which proves your participation in the scheme and highlights your achievements.

What skills do I need?

You do not need any specific skills, and you will receive all the necessary training for the role. All you need is commitment and motivation for an exciting opportunity.

Email IYVP@redcross.org.uk with questions or for more information.
Search for an international volunteering opportunity
Volunteering in an emergency

Please note, we don't send volunteers overseas after a major disaster. Read more about our approach to international volunteering.

Keeping our young volunteers safe

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who has contact with the British Red Cross. Find out what you can do if abuse is happening to you or someone you know.

Download our safeguarding booklet (PDF)

Would your organisation like to support young volunteers?

Download our free Inspired Action toolkit for top tips and resources for supporting young volunteers, with a focus on including disabled young people.

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Opportunities for young people | British Red Cross

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From volunteering to fundraising, there are many fun ways to do your bit for charity.

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Explore Work Experience - Youth Employment UK

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Explore Work Experience - Youth Employment UK

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What is work experience?

Work experience is a great way to build your skills and your CV and find out what you could enjoy doing in the world of work. PLUS - it helps you to explore the range of careers out there. What work interests YOU?

1. Watch the videos.
2. Download and use your digital workbook.

This virtual guide aims to introduce you to the world of work. The videos and workbook on this page are here to complement each other. Inside the workbook you will find questions, quizzes and activities to help you digest and think about what you have learnt from each video. The workbook is yours to keep, remember to download it to your device and make sure it saves your answers as you go.

Teachers, Career Advisers and Work Coaches - check out the suggested lesson plan resource at the bottom of this page

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Explore Work Experience - Youth Employment UK

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Discover more about work experience for young people in the UK with Youth Employment UK. Get info, advice and more. Know your options!

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Work experience - British Geological Survey

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Work experience - British Geological Survey

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The BGS offers students the chance to work with our scientists and support staff to provide them with experience in the work place. BGS is able to provide a small number of work experience placements between July and September 2022 within our Mutihazards and Resilience Challenge Area. These placements will either be on site at our Edinburgh office or remote (for which a computer and internet connection will be required).

An example of the type of work which will be undertaken is:

Understanding recent volcanic activity.

Understanding of the past eruptive behaviour at a volcano is key for aiding response to a volcanic eruption. Volcanic activity varies greatly around the world; some volcanoes erupt frequently, while others are quiet for long periods of time between eruptions. This means that for some volcanoes, we have much more information about past eruptive activity than others. In this project, the student will investigate eruptive activity in a chosen region over the past 15 years. The student will identify volcanoes with new volcanic activity during this period and produce a short report providing an overview of recent activity at a chosen volcano.

BGS offers students the chance to work with our geologists.  BGS © UKRI.

Who can apply?

Unpaid work experience opportunities are only offered to young people under the age of 18 as part of their school’s work experience programme. Placements are for one week.

Application process

If you would like to apply for a placement please complete the application form and return within the application deadline: Sunday 12th June 2022.

After the deadline we will consider all applications this may take a few weeks.

Contact

For more information about work experience opportunities please contact BGS HR or call 0115 936 3100.

About BGS

As the national geological survey, we are the UK’s premier provider of objective and authoritative scientific data, information and knowledge to help society understand our Earth.

Show more

Working at the BGS

All BGS staff enjoy wide a range of benefits in addition to their salary with the aim of promoting a positive work–life balance.

Show more

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Work experience - British Geological Survey

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The BGS offers students the chance to work with our scientists and support staff to provide them with experience in the workplace.

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John Lewis Partnership Virtual Work Experience

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John Lewis Partnership Virtual Work Experience

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Gathering Children and Young People’s Views

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Gathering Children and Young People’s Views

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Liv used to go to school every day, but now, something feels different. She feels like all the things that made her feel safe and happy going to school are beginning to unravel. Going to school now makes her feel sad, anxious and overwhelmed.

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From Being on Our Own to Being Part of a Team: A Qualitative Study on Parents’ Experiences from a Structured Intervention to Increase School Attendance

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From Being on Our Own to Being Part of a Team: A Qualitative Study on Parents’ Experiences from a Structured Intervention to Increase School Attendance

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When Harry’s Feet Say No | Eliza Ward Therapy

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When your body says “No”, learning to listen and feel safe. This heartfelt story about school worries, simple neuroscience, and somatic connection is written by a qualified psychotherapist and parent with lived experience of neurodiversity, who understands school avoidance from both professional training and personal experience.

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“How do you know you’re safe at school? When I’m not there”. Perspectives of autistic young people and school staff from one secondary school about attendance struggles and who is accountable for change

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“How do you know you’re safe at school? When I’m not there”. Perspectives of autistic young people and school staff from one secondary school about attendance struggles and who is accountable for change

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“How do you know you’re safe at school? When I’m not there”. Perspectives of autistic young people and school staff from one secondary school about attendance struggles and who is accountable for change

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School non-attendance became an international phenomenon post-pandemic with many schools, regardless of intake or location, experiencing increases in pupils struggling to attend. However, pre-pande…

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Joining up SEND - How government can make special educational needs and disabilities services more cohesive

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Joining up SEND - How government can make special educational needs and disabilities services more cohesive

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School absence innovation lessons last labour government

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School absence innovation lessons last labour government

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Investigating the use of parental responsibility measures for school attendance and behaviour: final report 

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Investigating the use of parental responsibility measures for school attendance and behaviour: final report 

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[ARCHIVED CONTENT] Investigating the use of parental responsibility measures for school attendance and behaviour: final report - Publications - GOV.UK

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Tooled Up - Evidence-based resources for parenting, education and family life.

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Tooled Up - Evidence-based resources for parenting, education and family life.

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Do school-based, peer-led wellbeing interventions actually work? 

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Do school-based, peer-led wellbeing interventions actually work? 

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Research of The Month | Do school-based, peer-led wellbeing interventions actually work? | Tooled Up Education

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No other choice: The fracturing of reflexivity in families' pathways into (non-)elective home education in England

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No other choice: The fracturing of reflexivity in families' pathways into (non-)elective home education in England

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Understanding school stress/distress: moving beyond the functional model of school attendance

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Understanding school stress/distress: moving beyond the functional model of school attendance

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ABSTRACT

This study explored the lived experiences of children aged 8-12 and their caregivers navigating school can't (SC), an emotionally based school non-attendance driven by a stress/distress relationship, rather than defiance. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), six neurodivergent children and young people shared how school environments influenced feelings of safety, belonging and overwhelm. Findings revealed that the distress that resulted from school-based stressors was often embodied through physical symptoms and exacerbated by inconsistent school supports and unmet sensory needs. Withdrawal emerged as a protective response to unsafe or invalidating contexts. The study underscores the need for trauma-informed, neuroaffirming and family-centred practices that prioritise emotional safety as fundamental to inclusion and learning.

Introduction

School can't, often termed school refusal, refers to a child or young person's difficulty attending school due to significant emotional distress associated with school attendance (Brodie, ; Leduc et al., ). The term school can't is increasingly being used in Australia as a more accurate way to describe children who struggle to attend school due to overwhelming stress, anxiety or other underlying issues (School Can't Australia, ). This lens recognises that the source of the school attendance problem is not within the child's unwillingness to attend or merely a function of their behaviour (Gonzálvez et al., ; Kearney & Albano, ), but that the stressors are often external to the child and contributing to distress that incapacitates (Leslie et al., ). As shown in Table 1, a range of terms have been used historically, and in the literature, to describe school attendance problems and each conceptualises different drives and mechanisms for non-attendance. Though often included in attendance research, the term truancy has not been included here as it refers to absences from school that parents are not aware of (Heyne et al., ). Throughout this paper, the term school stress/distress will be used to reflect the emotional, relational and systemic nature of this phenomenon and the diminished capacity that leaves children and young people (CYP) feeling like they can't, not won't, go to school.

The consequences of long-term non-attendance are significant, and not only include substantial gaps in educational achievement but also a greater risk of long-term mental health issues (Leduc et al., ), missed social connections, and increased financial and emotional strain on families (Garfi, ; Havik et al., ), as well as adverse impacts on social and emotional wellbeing (Clark, ; Education and Employment References Committee. [EERC], ). Without qualitative insight into lived experiences of school can't, policies and interventions designed to support families risk being ineffective, potentially harmful and misaligned with needs.

School non-attendance is a global concern, with prevalence rates varying across studies. In the general population, school stress/distress affects between 2% and 5% of school-aged children (Elliott & Place, ; Ingul et al., ), while North American and European clinical studies identify prevalence as high as 15% (Leduc et al., ; Maynard et al., ). In Australia, school stress/distress has emerged as a significant concern (Clark, ), reflected in declining attendance rates that have fallen from 92.6% in 2015 to 88.3% in 2024 (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], ). This downward trend prompted the 2023 Senate Inquiry into the National Trend of School Refusal and Related Matters (EERC, ). From a policy perspective, both the Senate Inquiry (EERC, ) and the Australian Parliamentary Research Briefing on School Refusal (Clark, ) have drawn national attention to the growing scale of this issue. These national investigations of school attendance issues have critiqued existing reactive or punitive responses, such as threats and fines, and encouraged systemic changes that centre on family experiences and needs, strengthen collaboration and address current organisational barriers.

Since the findings and recommendations of the Senate Inquiry, the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) conducted a rapid literature review (Melvin et al., ), which was focused on quantitative data rather than the lived experiences of families. The present paper instead responds to the Senate Inquiry Report's (EERC, ) recommendation that the voices of CYP be present in policy decisions by presenting CYP's own reflections on how school stress/distress has been experienced. By capturing the voices of CYP this research offers nuanced insight into the variety of challenges CYP face. The findings aim to inform family-centred practices and guide future policy and professional responses. Practical strategies are outlined for school staff to support students living with school stress/distress as well as recommendations for future research into this phenomenon.

Literature review

Onset and presentation of school stress/distress

For some students, school attendance problems may occur as early as the first year of school; however, this phenomenon is most commonly observed during key transitional periods (Kearney, ) with peak periods between the ages of 5-7 and 10-14 (Clark, ; Connolly et al., ). Connolly et al. () found the average age of onset for children ( n  = 947; 92% neurodivergent; 83% autistic) experiencing school distress was 7.9 years, with over half of cases beginning before the age of eight. Similarly, school transitions often bring changes in routines, expectations, environments and peer groups, increasing anxiety and stress. Lack of support between schools or year levels has been identified as a risk factor for the general CYP population (Clark, ), and poor staff handovers can destabilise the consistency many neurodivergent students rely on to feel understood, safe and supported (Connolly et al., ).

This paper conceptualises school attendance problems as an involuntary stress response rather than intentional avoidance, oppositional behaviour or a function of behaviour (Clark, ; Heimans et al., ; Kearney, ). In many cases, school-related distress and anxiety for the broader CYP population manifest as somatic complaints, including panic attacks, shaking (Garfi, ), physiological dysregulation (Leduc et al., ), nausea, freezing and shutdowns (Richardson, ). For neurodivergent CYP, these presentations may be children communicating emotional discomfort when they find it difficult to identify or verbalise their distress (DiVincenzo et al., ) and may mask underlying emotional distress related to school (Elliott & Place, ). Misinterpreting these symptoms can lead to underestimating the seriousness of the situation and delaying psychological support and recovery (Connolly et al., ; Elliott & Place, ). Understanding the emotional issues underlying attendance problems from the perspective of those experiencing the stress/distress is essential to supporting CYP effectively.

Individual elements that influence school stress/distress

A range of individual characteristics and traits have been identified as potential contributors to school non-attendance. For example, though not specifically looking at a neurodivergent population, Johnsen et al.'s () study of CYP with school attendance problems ( n  = 152) found a high correlation between the poor mental health of the CYP, or their parent, and school non-attendance. Similarly, Munkhaugen et al. () identified that social impairments, executive functioning challenges, depression and withdrawal increase autistic students' vulnerability to non-attendance. Further, Connolly et al. () found that children with sensory processing difficulties, high anxiety and demand-avoidant profiles experienced particularly severe distress in school settings.

However, it is the interplay between individual characteristics and the school environment, not individual characteristics alone, that contribute to school distress. As Sasso () stated, it is the interaction between individual traits and everyday school life that leads to prolonged stress and exhaustion. This was evident in Yesilkaya et al.'s () study of 10 to 17 year olds ( n = 191), which concluded that CYP with chronic school absenteeism have greater difficulty with emotional regulation skills, and that this may be related to conditions such as ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Findings from Niemi et al.'s () study of CYP with and without ADHD ( N  = 1569) showed that the characteristics of ADHD impacted on school attendance for these students, who were twice as likely to be absent from school as their neurotypical peers. The growing body of knowledge on school attendance stress/distress recognises and reinforces the understanding the transactional nature of individual characteristics with the environment as contributing to school non-attendance.

Structural and interpersonal contributors to school stress/distress

A key theme in the literature is that school-related factors, such as structural and interpersonal elements (Leslie et al., ), may significantly influence both the onset and maintenance of school stress/distress (Melvin et al., ). Rather than a single cause, many studies describe environmental stressors, unmet needs and poor school responsiveness. For example, Connolly et al. () found that teachers' loud voices, sensory overload and unpredictable routines contributed to feelings of unsafety for neurodivergent CYP. These findings align with concerns about the impact of rigid expectations, punitive disciplinary practices (Clark, ), negative school climates and disorganised classrooms (Havik et al., ) on CYP capacity to attend school.

Peer-related social challenges and bullying are also identified as strong interpersonal predictors of school attendance problems, particularly for neurodivergent students (DiVincenzo et al., ; Havik et al., ). Consistent with this, Gray et al. (), drawing on the perspectives of autistic students, parents, teachers and allied health professionals, highlighted a range of interpersonal and systemic barriers, including negative staff attitudes and bureaucratic delays. The EERC () noted that schools often failed to meet the needs of neurodivergent students and identified resistance from some schools in adopting external advice and parent requests for accommodations. Further, in their study of neurodivergent youth experiencing school stress/distress, Connolly et al. () found that educational supports were frequently withdrawn without explanation, documentation was delayed and follow-through was inconsistent, leaving students feeling betrayed. Conversely, there are structural and interpersonal factors that can act as facilitators for school attendance. This was evident in Enderle et al.'s () study capturing the perspectives of CYP ( n  = 6) in alternative and special education settings on overcoming school attendance problems. The authors identified that environmental factors such as trust-based relationships, coordinated school-based care, flexible learning pathways and clear communication were central strategies to supporting attendance.

Collectively, this body of work suggests that school stress and distress emerge from a complex interplay of individual, interpersonal and structural factors (Leslie et al., ). However, there remains a limited understanding of how students themselves navigate these barriers over time.

Research design

Participants

Eligibility criteria required participants to be aged 8-17 years, have experienced school stress or distress within the past two to three years, and have recorded attendance of 80% or less during at least one school year. Participants were required to have attended a mainstream school within the past three years and not be experiencing significant distress at the time of participation. Following parental consent and child assent, six children and young people (CYP) aged 9-16 years participated. Although not a criterion to participate, all CYP were identified as neurodivergent, with diagnoses including autism and ADHD, as shown in Table 2. Diagnoses are listed as they were described by the participants. Each had disengaged from at least one mainstream school due to attendance and wellbeing concerns.

Data collection

Data analysis

Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), focusing on how participants made sense of their experiences (Smith & Shinebourne, ; Smith et al., ). Analysis involved immersion in each case, detailed noting across descriptive, linguistic and conceptual dimensions, and the development of emergent themes. Themes were clustered into superordinate and subordinate categories and analysed idiographically before cross-case comparison to identify patterns of convergence and divergence (Smith & Nizza, ). Neurodivergence emerged as a unifying thread across participants' accounts.

Researcher positionality and reflexivity

As researchers we acknowledge our positionality and the way it has influenced our research. Three of the authors have children who have experienced varying degrees of school attendance stress/distress of varying origins (neurodivergence, trauma, chronic medical conditions). Additionally, we all have worked as classroom teachers, or within learning support or well-being roles supporting students with school attendance problems. We all believe that accessing school should be fair and equitable as it is an inalienable human right for CYP (United Nations, ).

Findings

The analysis revealed four interconnected themes that illustrate how CYP experienced and made sense of their school stress/distress. These themes - 1) emotional and physical distress, 2) negotiating agency and masking, 3) inconsistent supports diminish trust and trigger distress and 4) alternative pathways and visions of reform - capture the emotional, relational and systemic dimensions of school-based distress. Together, they reflect the complex ecology of school stress/distress, in which children's experiences were shaped not only by internal responses but also by the social, sensory and institutional environments surrounding them.

Emotional and physical distress

A clear and consistent theme across almost all participants ( n  = 5) was how participants described school as not only filled with multiple stressors, but that the act of both attending and not attending was also emotionally distressing. For Jaime, school triggered intense anticipatory anxiety; she shared that she would wake up and 'start crying like I do not want to go to school. I just know how bad it's going to be.' Comparably, Rory's embodied distress was harder to define but 'just going to school or like, just seeing it, like driving past it [was] a mix of nervousness ... a little bit of fear ... some sadness, sometimes some excitement ... I never really liked that feeling.' He spoke clearly and emotively about the level of distress he felt when his mother had to leave him in the morning 'when you had to go, that was just the worst ... I'd never admit it ... it just got harder and harder ... [it] would just make me crack open.' His words illustrate a cascade of dysregulation, where a lack of safety cues triggered an autonomic response and how withdrawal and shutdown functioned as protective regulatory strategies, rather than behavioural refusals. Similarly, Tegan described the physical cumulative toll of school attendance resulting in her getting 'so tired and then I just sleep'.

The emotional distress extended beyond the school grounds, to the experiences of parental allyship, with some CYP ( n  = 2) noticing the impact their non-attendance had on their parent. For example, Adric spoke of the toll he felt in seeing his mother support him, noting how 'she's always tired ... she does everything for me. I don't want her to be sad.' This sentiment was shared by Tegan who disclosed how 'Mum stopped working so I could get to appointments. I felt bad about that,' evidencing how the CYP's nervous systems recognised the stress and distress felt by their caregiver as a result of their own stress and distress. This illustrated a vicarious emotional load, where CYP may interpret a caregiver's strain and internalise responsibility. Such meaning-making contributes to relational stress loops in school‑distress contexts.

Environmental stressors also contributed to the CYPs' sense of physical distress. For Jaime, extreme heat, sensory overload and a lack of control at school camp intensified her symptoms. She recalled that 'I'm allergic to sunscreen ... it was in summer ... I'm prone to heat stress, and I had heat stress the whole time I was there.' David focused on specific physical discomfort in his school environment: 'the carpet would be so, so uncomfortable' and he requested 'better seats and desks. They were kind of just uncomfortable.' He also recalled a weather-related concern '[our town] is a really hot place and they made us put our bags out in the 30-degree weather so our lunches would be undesirable.' While David did not describe internalised somatic symptoms, his repeated focus on physical and sensory discomfort reinforced the importance of recognising the stress caused by the physical school environment as emotionally significant for some children. Collectively, these accounts demonstrated embodied threat appraisal, where sensory and environmental demands exceeded the child's regulatory capacity.

Negotiating agency, and masking

More than half of the CYP ( n  = 4) described how they felt pressured to present themselves in school environments in ways that undermined their sense of agency. For Peter, initial trust in negotiated adjustments quickly collapsed when his own limits were disregarded and his agency denied, exemplified when he shared how 'they [school staff] said I could start with half days, and I was ok with that. But then they kept pushing me to stay longer, even when I wasn't ready. It felt like they didn't listen to me at all.' Likewise, Rory was allowed to use fidgets to regulate, but only under certain circumstances, and as a result felt his agency was restricted. For example, he explained 'I could only [use fidgets] in the mornings. Like, I wasn't allowed to do them ... any other time.' These experiences illustrated how CYPs' agency could be compressed or denied by institutional expectations, further enforcing and privileging neuronormative expectations of school attendance and engagement.

Tegan's experiences echoed the persistent expectations of normality when she felt she had to withdraw and mask, sharing 'I didn't want people to know how hard it was ... so I just said I was fine. But I wasn't.' Tegan's description illustrated masking as an active strategy, driven by the need to meet external expectations at the cost of self-expression. The repetition of 'fine' underscored how scripted compliance became her default response, despite its emotional toll. For Tegan, masking extended beyond social performance into academic identity. She described how her disengagement from schoolwork itself became a way of concealing the depth of her struggle: 'When I wasn't going to school, I also wasn't doing schoolwork ... because that was part of school and I didn't want anything to do with school.' Her statement reflected an attempt to distance herself from the identity of 'student' altogether, masking her disconnection by rejecting tasks associated with schooling. In doing so, she enacted agency in the only way available to her - by refusing to participate in the structures that had caused distress.

Inconsistent supports diminish trust and trigger distress

A strong and consistent theme across CYP accounts ( n  = 5) was adjustments or supports that were offered briefly or inconsistently as well as those that were withdrawn or never implemented. This was evident when Jamie described tools that were meant to help her with dyslexia, including rulers that frame parts of text to improve clarity or electronic reading pens, but explained, 'he [the teacher] always forgot. Like, and then I'd get in trouble.' This omission elicited marked distress from Jamie, as the teacher's oversight was ultimately experienced as punitive or indicative of wrongdoing. In the same way, Rory described frustration with tools being taken away when he needed them for emotional regulation and focus; 'They'd just take it away, which made me feel so angry.' Collectively, these accounts indicated that inconsistent or withdrawn supports destabilised students' sense of relational safety within the classroom, eroding trust in teachers and amplifying emotional distress when adjustments intended to enable participation were not reliably enacted.

For some CYP, it was more than forgotten or inconsistent adjustments: it was the emotional impact of being left without support when they most needed it. The consequence was a break-down of trust and faith in the school system. Tegan explained that 'there was a complete loss of trust in staff - after that I knew they didn't see what was happening [school related distress].' Tegan's statement points to institutional mistrust cycles, where loss of trust in an individual can lead to loss of trust in the institution. The definitive tone of 'I knew' conveyed both certainty and resignation, capturing the moment where trust was withdrawn. Similarly, David felt his teacher 'didn't know or care' about providing accommodations to support him in class. The perceived lack of a relational approach from educators in these examples spoke to a deeper absence: not only of formal support, but of human connection in moments when it really mattered. Peter also articulated the emotional distress that resulted from institutional inconsistency sharing: 'It's like they only care about me being at school, not why I couldn't go ... it was like, just show up, doesn't matter what happens to you there.' Peter's words expressed a vivid experience of being rendered invisible within an institutional system that privileged neuronormative ways of learning over neurodivergent support needs. His narrative demonstrated how inconsistent adherence to policy can mask a deeper disregard for the wellbeing of the young person, creating a school environment that triggers threat appraisal due to a perceived lack of emotional and social safety.

Alternative pathways and visions of reform

The CYP consistently explored alternative schooling models in the hope of finding environments that could better meet their needs, yet they ( n  = 4) also spoke to the complex experiences of alternative settings. Alternative education settings were framed as places of, at best, temporary safety. For Tegan, an alternative programme offered a sense of connection that mainstream schooling could not. She reflected saying 'you do enjoy it because you make friends ... but near the end you start to not like it ... because you're transitioning out and it feels a bit like you're being pushed really quickly.' Her words revealed both the possibility of belonging and the fragility of trust when transitions were not paced according to readiness. What began as a lifeline risked becoming another source of pressure. For Peter the emotional toll of returning to mainstream after a specialist programme was evident when he was told he couldn't 'just do mornings ... they forced me to stay longer. I wasn't ready.' Peter's statement revealed how negotiated safety quickly unravelled when institutional priorities overrode individual pacing.

Home-based alternatives offered respite from overwhelming environments. As Peter explained of home learning: 'It's just quieter ... I don't have to worry about people looking at me or teachers asking why I'm not doing the work.' This brief but powerful reflection underscored how school was experienced as a place of surveillance and exposure, where avoidance was not simply about refusal but was a means to address autonomic overwhelm. Similarly, Adric framed informal digital learning as a site of competence: 'I learnt all the flags on YouTube, every single one. And the countries too.' His pride revealed the legitimacy of alternative learning pathways, even when such learning was not valued by institutions.

The CYP also expressed reformist visions that emphasised emotional and relational safety. For example, Adric imagined a learning environment centred on autonomy and play: 'Home [is] the ideal school ... no teacher ... just playing sports.' He also described how soccer made learning more tolerable, 'When I'm playing soccer my tummy doesn't hurt' highlighting how safety and enjoyment could be prioritised over academic routines in an alternative setting. For Adric, friendships and physical play were not only motivators for attendance but also addressed regulatory overload. Tegan similarly emphasised the primacy of relationships, explaining that friends and a sense of safety were 'the only reason to stay in school'.

Peter's vision of reform emphasised flexibility and choice: 'When I realised that [homeschooling] ... you literally get to basically learn whatever you want, like that was when I was like, yeah, I think this might be a good idea,' reflecting the appeal of interest-driven learning in contrast to rigid expectations that had previously made schooling unbearable. Together, these perspectives show how the CYP reimagined education not in abstract policy terms, but through the concrete elements that mattered to them most: agency, relational approaches and environmental safety.

Discussion

This paper extends on previous models of school attendance problems and moves away from previous conceptualisations of school refusal and functions of behaviour (Gonzálvez et al.,; Kearney & Albano, ). In doing so, and by centring the voices of CYP in understanding school attendance problems, these findings recognised the role that the structural and interpersonal elements of the school environment played in contributing to the stress/distress relationship for the individual CYP (Leslie et al., ), particularly those who hold neurodivergence as an innate characteristic. As such, these findings support the proposition that the majority of students experiencing school stress/distress are neurodivergent or autistic (Connolly et al., ) and the belief that schools may be a neuronormative space that inherently exclude neurodivergent students through policy and practices (Fisher et al., ). The CYP's accounts from this paper reflect a social relational model of disability in which they reframe their non-attendance as a response to their environment (Berghs et al., ; Thomas, ). In their response the CYP sought to communicate their needs and seek self-protection as a response to individual, interpersonal and structural factors.

The erosion of interpersonal and structural trust

These findings also highlight the erosion of institutional trust. For the CYP, trust collapsed when negotiated adjustments in either mainstream or alternative schools, such as shorter days or access to quiet spaces, were withdrawn or undermined, creating feelings of betrayal and reinforcing the loss of emotional safety. Once broken, this trust was rarely repaired, resulting in CYP disengaging from learning environments and seeking safety at home and with their parents. This interpretation is consistent with Sasso and Sansour's () findings that school climate and systemic responsiveness were critical factors in absenteeism among autistic students, and Totsika et al. () who emphasised the vulnerability of autistic children in mainstream contexts when their needs are not met.

The embodied individual experience

Individual agency in reimagining education

Finally, the findings reveal that despite exhaustion and disillusionment, the CYP displayed agency and reformist vision. The CYP articulated the centrality of friendships, play and safety as lifelines, and some expressed how alternative schooling created fleeting glimpses of belonging. These perspectives echoed the need for educational systems to move beyond deficit models and embrace family-centred participatory approaches that validate lived experience (Adams, ; Sasso & Sansour, ). Significantly, the CYP emphasised the importance of friendships, being heard and feeling valued for their strengths as central to their emotional safety. Together, these findings demonstrate how CYP made sense of school stress/distress as a dynamic negotiation of safety, identity and survival within education systems not designed for their needs.

In context, these findings underscore that the experiences of neurodivergent CYP cannot be reduced to attendance statistics or framed as deficits. Rather, school stress/distress reflects a cycle of cumulative burnout, systemic betrayal, fragile agency and a loss of emotional safety across mainstream and alternative settings. Withdrawal should be understood as both protective and communicative, and not merely refusing, while advocacy represents resilience constrained by structural inequity. These perspectives provide a textured account of how families negotiate belonging, survival and hope within education systems that too often fail to recognise or affirm them.

Implications for practice

Findings indicate a need for earlier, more accurate recognition of emotional distress that precedes school stress and distress, particularly where behaviours are masked or misinterpreted as disengagement (Connolly et al., ). Schools should adopt structured, observable indicators of distress (e.g. changes in attendance patterns, increased fatigue, avoidance behaviours) alongside regular relational check-ins to identify emerging concerns.

Actionable practices include implementing predictable sensory accommodations (e.g. access to low-stimulation spaces, flexible seating, noise-reduction options) and co-developed regulation plans that are consistently applied across settings. Adjustments should be proactive rather than reactive, with clear communication to students about what supports are available and when they can be accessed. Trust-preserving practices are critical; these include minimising sudden changes, avoiding punitive responses to distress-based behaviours, and ensuring that agreed adjustments are reliably enacted. Where adjustments cannot be implemented, transparent explanations and collaborative problem-solving with the student and family are essential to maintain trust.

Implications for policy and research

At a policy level, there remains a gap between existing frameworks, such as the Australian Student Wellbeing Framework (Education Services Australia, ) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (), and their enactment in practice. Greater accountability is needed to ensure these principles translate into flexible, student-centred approaches within schools. Policies should explicitly support adjustment flexibility, relational continuity and early intervention processes that privilege student voice.

Limitations

This study is shaped by several limitations that frame how the findings should be interpreted. The use of IPA prioritises depth over breadth, drawing on detailed accounts from six neurodivergent CYP ( n  = 6). Consistent with IPA, the aim is not statistical generalisability but theoretical and experiential transferability, offering insight into how school stress/distress is understood and navigated within particular contexts. The CYP who participated may represent those more willing or able to share their experiences, introducing the possibility of self-selection bias. As such, important voices remain underrepresented, including non-verbal CYP, those with more complex communication needs, and families without access to advocacy, resources or stable schooling pathways.

This study is also situated within an Australian context, which, while addressing a noted gap in qualitative research on school stress/distress, may limit transferability to other educational and cultural settings. Data collection via Zoom may have further shaped participation and disclosure. While online interviews can support comfort and accessibility, they may also influence rapport, depth of disclosure and the interpretation of non-verbal cues (Leslie et al., ; Thunberg & Arnell, ). In some cases, parent presence during interviews may have also shaped how CYP expressed their experiences. Together, these factors highlight the importance of interpreting findings as contextually situated, while still offering meaningful insights for broader application.

Conclusion

This study amplifies the voices of children experiencing school can't due to school stress/distress, revealing how distress is shaped by emotional, sensory and relational factors within unsupportive educational systems. Findings demonstrate that for some neurodivergent CYP withdrawal from school is not defiance but a self-protective response to environments that feel unsafe or invalidating. By situating these experiences within ecological and relational frameworks, this study underscores the need for trauma-informed and neuroaffirming approaches that prioritise emotional safety as integral to inclusion. Listening to the lived experiences of all CYP on school attendance matters offers critical insight for reimagining schooling systems that honour wellbeing, autonomy and belonging as foundations for learning.

Acknowledgments

All authors contributed substantially to the development of this manuscript. The team collaborated on conceptualisation, study design and interpretation of findings. Data collection and analysis were undertaken by designated authors as outlined in the contribution table, with all authors providing critical input into methodological decisions. Drafting and revising the manuscript was a shared process, with each author contributing to writing and reviewing sections to ensure accuracy and coherence. Supervision and project oversight were provided by a senior author, and all authors approved the final version of the manuscript and agree to be accountable for its content.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

References

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2017). The sage handbook of qualitative research (Fifth ed.). Sage.

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth). (1992). https://www.legislation.gov.au/details/c2013c00022(open in a new window)

Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Cth). (2005). https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2005L00767/latest/text(open in a new window)

Garfi, J. (2018). Overcoming school refusal: A practical guide for teachers, counsellors, caseworkers and parents (1st ed.). Australian Academic Press.

Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method, and research. SAGE Publications.

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Understanding school stress/distress: moving beyond the functional model of school attendance

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School can't, often termed school refusal, refers to a child or young person's difficulty attending school due to significant emotional distress associated with school attendance (Brodie, 2022; Led...

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SEND Review Consultation Resources from to help you answer the SEND Review Green Paper Questions from 1 to 22

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Exploring the early observations of parents supporting their children with school attendance problems (SAPs): A co-produced study

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Exploring the early observations of parents supporting their children with school attendance problems (SAPs): A co-produced study

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‘Not in School’ – Characterising children and young people aged 5-16 years who are not in school and understanding their mental health-related needs to inform future public health intervention and policy - NIHR School for Public Health Research

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‘Not in School’ – Characterising children and young people aged 5-16 years who are not in school and understanding their mental health-related needs to inform future public health intervention and policy - NIHR School for Public Health Research

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‘Not in School’ – Characterising children and young people aged 5-16 years who are not in school and understanding their mental health-related needs to inform future public health intervention and policy - NIHR School for Public Health Research

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Background Children not attending school is a major public health concern which has received increasing attention since the Covid-19 pandemic. Persistent absence is defined as the proportion of pupils missing 19 days or more in a year. These numbers have increased from 1 in 10 pre-pandemic, to 1 in 5 in 2023/24. Research has highlighted […]

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Days out and discos: when disabled children miss out

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Around this time of year, we often hear from families whose children have been excluded from end of year activities due to behaviour, but is this lawful?

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Healthy Bs - Bladders, Bowels & Bathrooms!

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Healthy Bs - Bladders, Bowels & Bathrooms!

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Healthy Bs - Bladders, Bowels & Bathrooms!

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The Great Little OT Practice | Braintree Essex

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Children's Choice Therapy -  Burton-on-Trent 

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Children's Choice Therapy -  Burton-on-Trent 

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We are specialist occupational and sensory integration accredited therapists, who provide independent services to individuals in special and main stream schools, health and social care settings as well as to charities.

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We are specialist occupational and sensory integration accredited therapists, who provide independent services to individuals in special and main stream schools, health and social care settings as well as to charities. We work across the community, in homes, schools and clinics and within our own specialist centre to provide assessments, treatment and training.

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The Teenager’s Guide to Taking Control of Your Education: Learning Beyond School

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The Teenager’s Guide to Taking Control of Your Education: Learning Beyond School

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Eliza Fricker (Author), Dr. Naomi Fisher (Author) Format: Paperback

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Green Labyrinth Education offers a range of pathways for students aged 16-19 or up to 25 for those with an Education and Health Care Plan.

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Do behaviour policies matter? Exploratory analysis by the Education Policy Institute - Education Policy Institute

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⏱️ Estimated Read: 13 minIn this blog, we describe variation in behaviour policies and outcomes in three inner London Boroughs: Hackney, Lewisham and Tower Hamlets. Our analysis finds that the written behaviour policies of state secondary schools in these areas…Read more Do behaviour policies matter? Exploratory analysis by the Education Policy Institute ›

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The Sleep Wise App has been designed to help children and young people who have trouble with sleep. This is an effective tool with tried and tested content in clinical settings using real families. Easy to use with friendly language. Effective results.

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Uniformerly is an award-winning online school uniform marketplace, where parents & PTAs can Buy, Sell, Give Away & Recycle outgrown school uniform.

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Uniformerly is an award-winning online school uniform marketplace, where parents & PTAs can Buy, Sell, Give Away & Recycle outgrown school uniform.

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Uniformerly is an award-winning online school uniform marketplace, where parents & PTAs can Buy, Sell, Give Away & Recycle outgrown school uniform.

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Uniformerly is an award-winning online school uniform marketplace, where parents & PTAs can Buy, Sell, Give Away & Recycle outgrown school uniform. Uniformerly is for Parents Make money by selling outgrown school uniform items to other parents at your child’s school and cut costs by

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Every morning, millions of children are expected to attend school. Yet many face barriers that prevent regular attendance. School attendance problems are no longer a marginal issue; they have become a challenge affecting classrooms in nearly every country.

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Prosecution of parents of children with SEND for school absence - Early Day Motions - UK Parliament

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Prosecution of parents of children with SEND for school absence - Early Day Motions - UK Parliament

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That this House notes with concern the increasing number of parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities who are being issued with penalty notices or prosecuted in the magistrates' courts for their child's absence from school; recognises that for many such children, attendance difficulties arise from unmet special educational needs, emotionally based school avoidance, sensory or environmental factors in the school setting, or delays in securing or implementing an Education, Health and Care Plan; further notes that parents in these circumstances are frequently doing all they reasonably can to support their child's education and wellbeing, often at significant personal cost; expresses concern that the current statutory framework, which permits fines of up to £2,500 and custodial sentences of up to three months, makes insufficient distinction between wilful truancy and the inability of a vulnerable child to attend a setting which cannot meet their needs; commends parent carer forums, campaigners and organisations supporting families in this position; and calls on the Government to bring forward reforms to attendance enforcement which recognise unmet SEND and mental health need as a distinct category of absence, and which ensure that families are offered support rather than sanctions.

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Prosecution of parents of children with SEND for school absence - Early Day Motions - UK Parliament

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That this House notes with concern the increasing number of parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities who are being issued with penalty notices or prosecuted in the magistrates' courts for their child's absence from school; recognises that for many such children, attendance difficulties arise from unmet special

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This is statutory guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) issued under Section 45A of the Education Act 1997.

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A new National Framework, an old local lottery Since the pandemic, rising pupil absence has been one of the biggest challenges facing schools in England, with mounting evidence linking absence to worse GCSE and longer-term outcomes, and the widening disadvantage attainment gap.  The government has been championing a support-first approach to tackling...Read more The postcode lottery of absence fines ›

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Mental Health and Well Being Support for Young People | Hidden Strength

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We are here to help you or someone close to you that you might be trying to support. There is nothing you are looking for that we haven't heard before and hopefully something on this website can make a difference.

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Mental Health and Well Being Support for Young People | Hidden Strength

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Mental Health and Well Being Support for Young People | Hidden Strength

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Hidden Strength is here to support you. We understand the challenges you may be facing.

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There is nothing you are looking for that we haven't heard before and hopefully something on this website can make a difference. If you can't find what you are looking for then please reach out to us at the below 'get in touch' button and we will do our best to provide you with as much information and support as we can.

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Mental Health and Well Being Support for Young People | Hidden Strength

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Autistic Masking in the Classroom: Why Quiet Students Often Go Unnoticed

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Autistic Masking in the Classroom: Why Quiet Students Often Go Unnoticed

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Autistic masking in classrooms can look like “good behaviour” while hiding effort, affecting learning, participation, wellbeing, and burnout risk.

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The tragedy of the Milburn report is that it is right on education – but too late

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The tragedy of the Milburn report is that it is right on education – but too late

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The tragedy of the Milburn report is that it is right on education – but too late

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Perhaps the most jaw-dropping aspect of yesterday’s Milburn interim report on youth under-employment is not its set of conclusions, but its timing.

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“Mainstream is not right for a huge group of children now”: Parent/carer insights and experiences of neurodivergent pupils’ school distress and attendance difficulties

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“Mainstream is not right for a huge group of children now”: Parent/carer insights and experiences of neurodivergent pupils’ school distress and attendance difficulties

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The Parent Carer: A Survival and Advocacy Handbook for Raising Children With Additional Needs / SEND

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The Parent Carer: A Survival and Advocacy Handbook for Raising Children With Additional Needs / SEND

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The Parent Carer: A Survival and Advocacy Handbook for Raising Children With Additional Needs / SEND

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Buy The Parent Carer: A Survival and Advocacy Handbook for Raising Children With Additional Needs / SEND by Hay, Natalie (ISBN: 9781917623315) from Amazon’s Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

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Failing children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in England: New evidence of poor outcomes and a postcode lottery at the Local Authority level at Key Stage 1

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Failing children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in England: New evidence of poor outcomes and a postcode lottery at the Local Authority level at Key Stage 1

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There is cohort of children with special educational needs and disabilities that is increasing in visibility. These are highly sensitive children, often with neuro-developmental differences such as…

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The Government’s review of school exclusions by former Child Minister, Edward Timpson, was published in May 2019. The report looks at a range of long standing issues with school exclusions, but importantly raises the issue of unlawful exclusions and ‘off-rolling’. Timpson described informal exclusion and off-rolling as “quite simply wrong”. Concerns have been raised of the use of off-rolling by parents, teachers, the Chief School’s Adjudicator, the Children’s Commissioner and HMP Chief Inspector

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Download this powerful report giving a voice to young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET)

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SEN Parent Resource Hub | Tools, Guides & Support

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Explore helpful tools, templates, and guidance for SEN parents. Our Resource Hub offers practical support for every stage of your journey.

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Derbyshire mum threatened with fine as boy with SEND stays at home after his mental health deteriorates in mainstream school

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Derbyshire mum threatened with fine as boy with SEND stays at home after his mental health deteriorates in mainstream school

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Derbyshire mum threatened with fine as boy with SEND stays at home after his mental health deteriorates in mainstream school

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A mum has been threatened with a fine after her son with special educational needs stopped attending a mainstream school due to mental health pressures.

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Navigating PANS/PANDAS & Neurodivergence | Autistic Realms

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Navigating PANS/PANDAS & Neurodivergence | Autistic Realms

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Navigating PANS/PANDAS & Neurodivergence | Autistic Realms

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Our new PANS/PANDAS info-gathering templates help families, schools & clinicians understand the overlap between neurodivergence and PANS/PANDAS.

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School Trips and Events – Equality Act considerations

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School Trips and Events – Equality Act considerations

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School Trips and Events – Equality Act considerations

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The start of the school year is a good time to think ahead about school trips and events that you have planned over the year ahead.

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Health & Safety for School Trips and Educational Visits | UK School Trips

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Health & Safety for School Trips and Educational Visits | UK School Trips

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Health & Safety for School Trips and Educational Visits | UK School Trips

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Unfortunately, where there is fun and adventure, there are normally risks to accompany it. This page is to help teachers, youth leaders and parents understand

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School Trips: Legal Duties and the Importance of Health and Safety Compliance

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School Trips: Legal Duties and the Importance of Health and Safety Compliance

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Schools owe a duty of care to their pupils, which extends to all off-site activities. This duty requires staff to take reasonable steps to safeguard pupils from foreseeable harm. The law does not expect perfection, but it does expect diligence and sound judgment. The DfE guidance provides an overview of factors to take into account; Health and safety on educational visits - GOV.UK

Key legal principles include:

Risk Assessment: Every trip must be underpinned by a thorough and proportionate risk assessment. This should identify potential foreseeable hazards, evaluate the likelihood and severity of risks, and set out control measures. Risk assessments must be written, reviewed and updated as circumstances change and must reflect the trip activity being undertaken. Any dynamic risk assessments undertaken on a trip due to particular circumstances should be documented at the first available opportunity.

Supervision and Staffing: Adequate supervision of pupils is critical. Staff must be appropriately trained and experienced, and pupil-to-adult ratios should reflect the nature of the activity, the age and needs of the pupils, and any specific risks involved. Supervising teachers often act as "loco parentis", acting as a temporary parent taking on some of the parent's responsibilities to ensure a pupil's safety and welfare.

Emergency Planning: Schools must have clear procedures and protocols for responding to emergencies, including communication protocols, first aid provision, and contingency arrangements. Staff should be briefed and trained on these procedures before departure.

Parental Consent and Communication: While consent may not be legally required for curriculum-based activities, it is best practice to obtain it for all trips, especially those involving travel, overnight stays, or higher-risk activities. Clear communication with parents about the nature of the trip, risks, and expectations is essential.

Use of External Providers: Where third-party organisations are involved, schools must ensure they meet appropriate safety standards. This includes checking insurance, qualifications, and accreditation.

Staff Training and Preparation: Practical Tips
To ensure legal compliance and reduce and minimise risk, schools should invest in structured training and preparation for staff involved in educational visits. Here are some practical recommendations:

1. Annual Training on Educational Visits
Provide annual refresher training for all staff involved in planning or supervising trips. This should cover legal duties, safeguarding, risk assessment, and emergency procedures.

2. Scenario-Based Exercises
Run mock scenarios (e.g. medical emergency, missing pupil, transport breakdown) to help staff practice decision-making under pressure and understand their roles in real-time situations.

3. Trip-Specific Briefings
Before each trip, hold a detailed briefing covering:

The itinerary and key contact details

Identified risks and control measures

Roles and responsibilities of each staff member

Emergency protocols and escalation procedures

A briefing session setting out expectations of the pupils on any trip should be held with parents in attendance running through the above matters.

4. First Aid and Safeguarding Certification
Ensure that at least one staff member on every trip holds up-to-date first aid and safeguarding certification. For higher-risk activities, consider additional qualifications such as water safety or outdoor leadership.

1. Clear Documentation and Record-Keeping
Maintain written records of planning decisions, risk assessments, staff briefings, and parental communications. These documents can be vital in demonstrating that reasonable steps were taken.

2. Post-Trip Reviews
Conduct a debrief after each trip to identify lessons learned and areas for improvement. Encourage open discussion and record feedback for future planning.

Conclusion
School trips should continue to be a vibrant part of education, but they must be underpinned by rigorous health and safety compliance. By embedding good practice into staff training and preparation, schools can protect pupils, support staff, and preserve the educational value of off-site learning.

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School Trips: Legal Duties and the Importance of Health and Safety Compliance

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Educational visits are a valuable part of school life, offering pupils enriching experiences beyond the classroom. However, they also carry risks, and when incidents occur, the legal and professional scrutiny on staff can be significant. It is essential that schools understand their responsibilities and ensure robust c...

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Tackling the health and safety myths

A large number of school visits take place successfully each year. However, misunderstandings about health and safety law can sometimes discourage schools and teachers from organising these activities.

See the high-level statement

To tackle some of the myths about red tape and prosecution, HSE has published a policy statement to encourage all schools (in both maintained and independent sectors) and local authorities to remove wasteful bureaucracy imposed on those involved in organising school visits and outdoor learning activities.

Tackling the health and safety myths

HSE's statement makes clear:

that the focus should be on how the real risks arising from such visits are managed and not on paperwork;

the need for a proportionate and sensible approach for planning and organising off-site activities;

that those organising visits should simplify the planning process and authorisation arrangements for visits that involve everyday risks;

that HSE's primary interest is real risks arising from serious breaches of the law. Any HSE accident investigation will be targeted at these issues.

If things go wrong

Where sensible and proportionate steps have been taken by a school and its staff, it is highly unlikely that there would be a breach of health and safety law involved, or that it would be in the public interest for HSE to bring a prosecution.

Prosecutions taken by HSE invariably involve a fatality (or near fatality) where there was recklessness or a clear failure to adopt sensible precautions. The fact that an accident occurs does not mean there was a breach of health and safety law if sensible, proportionate and appropriate precautions have been taken. Fears of prosecution by schools and their staff have been grossly inflated and are unwarranted. Such fears should not be a barrier to school trips taking place.

HSE statistics indicate that in the five-year period between 2005/06 and 2009/10 HSE has brought two prosecutions involving school visits.

Supporting material

Case studies

HSE has produced a number of case studies to illustrate and encourage proportionate responses to the planning and delivery of school visits.
Case studies
Additional advice

HSE enforces health and safety legislation in relation to school visits. The education departments in England, Scotland and Wales also provide guidance and resources for schools.

Statistics

Over the five-year period 2005/06 to 2009/10:

A total of 50 058 injuries in primary and secondary schools were reported to HSE. (RIDDOR data needs to be treated with care as non-fatal injuries are substantially under-reported. It is estimated that just over half of all such injuries to employees are actually reported.)

Approximately 30% of the reported injuries involved employees. The remaining 70% involved non-employees, such as pupils.

Slips, trips and falls remain the most common cause of major injuries in every workplace - and schools follow exactly the same pattern - they account for around 40% of all injuries reported.

HSE has carried out 29 prosecutions in the education sector - 18 in the primary, secondary and vocational sectors.

Of the 18 prosecutions, two related to breaches during school trips.

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The ten vital questions that need to be asked before an educational visit takes place.

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1. The 2 main types of trips

1.1 Routine visits

These involve no more than an everyday level of risk, such as slips and trips and are covered by a school's current policies and procedures. They only need a little extra planning beyond the educational aspect of the trip. They can be considered as lessons in a different classroom.

1.2 Trips that need a risk assessment and extra planning

These are trips not covered by current policies. This could be due to things like:

the distance from school

the type of activity

the location

needing staff with specialist skills

Sometimes a school may just need to review its current plans or arrangements that were successful on previous trips. However, some trips will need risk assessments, detailed planning and informed approval of headteachers or governing boards. The person given the job of managing this should:

Plans should be proportionate and sensible, focusing on how to manage genuine risks.

2. When to get consent from parents

A school must always get written consent for nursery age children.

For children over nursery age, written consent is not needed for most trips, as they're part of the curriculum. However, it's good practice to tell parents about them.

Written consent is usually only needed for trips that:

need a higher level of risk assessment

are outside normal school hours

Ask parents to sign a copy of our consent form when their child enrols. This will cover them for their whole time at the school.

Schools should still tell parents about these trips and give them the opportunity to withdraw their child.

3. Using outside organisations

Schools using an outside organisation to provide an activity must check they have appropriate safety standards and liability insurance.

The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom ( LOtC) awards the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge to organisations who meet nationally recognised standards.

If an organisation does not hold the badge, the school must check that they're an appropriate organisation to use. This could include checking:

their insurance

that they meet legal requirements

their health and safety and emergency policies

their risk assessments

control measures

their use of vehicles

staff competence

safeguarding

accommodation

any sub-contracting arrangements they have

that they have a licence where needed

The school should have an agreement with them that makes it clear what everyone is responsible for. This is especially important if they'll be taking over supervision of the children.

4. Adventure activities: caving, climbing, trekking, and watersports

These kind of activities should be identified and risk assessed as part of the visit beforehand. Staff managing or leading visits must not decide to add such activities during the trip.

Always consider the abilities of the children when assessing risk.

Organisations need a licence to provide some adventure activities. Organisations who hold the LOtC Quality Badge should hold a licence for the activity they provide.

Find out more about licensing on the Health and Safety Executive ( HSE) website.

Watersports

When planning watersports, consider the need for:

Schools should take particular care when using hotel swimming pools and other water leisure activities which may not have a trained lifeguard. Although there are no swimming pool specific health and safety laws, the Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel ( OEAP) provides advice when undertaking adventure specialist activities, including swimming.

5. Trips abroad

Trips abroad can have extra risks and need a higher level of risk assessment.

Schools should make sure any organisation that is providing activities holds the LOtC Quality badge or similar local accreditation.

The HSE does not cover incidents overseas. However, it can investigate work done in Britain to support the trip, like risk assessments. School staff could also be liable under civil law for any injuries to the children due to negligence.

If the trip includes significant risks, such as challenging terrain, going to remote places or extreme climates, follow the guide to the British Standard for adventurous activities outside the United Kingdom as the basis for the planning and risk assessment. Organisations employed by the school should follow this too. If they have LOtC Quality Badge then they follow this standard.

Schools should consider the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's detailed guidance on safer adventure travel and volunteering overseas when organising adventure visits abroad. A teachers' pack is also available.

6. Knowing what to do in an emergency

Schools should have an emergency response plan that covers what to do if there is an incident away from school. Schools should also have a communications plan that covers how routine communications should be handled, including regular check-ins and calls to reassure people.

Trip leaders should be familiar with these plans.

Schools can get advice on these plans from their outdoor activity adviser or the OEAP website.

7. Evaluating trips

Set up a clear process for evaluating all visits once they have been concluded from the planning through to the visit itself. Schools should keep a record of any incidents, accidents and near misses.

This will help the school:

evaluate whether its planning has worked

learn from any incidents which took place

8. Educational visits coordinators

Schools should appoint an educational visits coordinator and make sure they have the training they need. The headteacher has this duty if there is no coordinator. Local authorities or academy trust outdoor education advisers can advise on appointing and training coordinators.

The coordinator works with the local outdoor education adviser to help their colleagues in schools to assess and manage risks.

The coordinator should:

be an experienced visits leader

have the status to be able to guide the working practices of other staff

be confident in assessing the ability of other staff to lead visits

be confident in assessing outside activity providers

be able to advise headteachers and governors when they're approving trips

have access to training, advice and guidance

Coordinators can also get guidance on the OEAP website.

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These involve no more than an everyday level of risk, such as slips and trips and are covered by a school's current policies and procedures. They only need a little extra planning beyond the educational aspect of the trip. They can be considered as lessons in a different classroom.

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Using her experiences of caring for a child going through the mental healthcare system, parent Jo shares support, advice and hope for other parents.

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Unmasking EBSA: Understanding Emotionally Based School Avoidance, Masking, and How to Support Your Child When They Cannot Attend School with Clear Evidence and a Pathway Forward

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Unmasking EBSA: Understanding Emotionally Based School Avoidance, Masking, and How to Support Your Child When They Cannot Attend School with Clear Evidence and a Pathway Forward

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Unmasking EBSA: Understanding Emotionally Based School Avoidance, Masking, and How to Support Your Child When They Cannot Attend School with Clear Evidence and a Pathway Forward

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Buy Unmasking EBSA: Understanding Emotionally Based School Avoidance, Masking, and How to Support Your Child When They Cannot Attend School with Clear Evidence and a Pathway Forward by N. Middlehurst, J. Buckle & (ISBN: 9798195121686) from Amazon’s Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

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Reform starts to reveal its thinking on SEND reform

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Reform starts to reveal its thinking on SEND reform

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Also see Advocacy (Social Services)

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In this powerful four-part podcast, Eliza Fricker shares her experience, and that of others, to reveal the difficult process of getting an autism diagnosis, what this means in our current education system, and asks, can we find a better way?

Currently almost two million children are regularly absent from school. Many of these will have special needs - making going to school a stressful and distressing experience. But in a system that prizes attendance over wellbeing, autistic children are forced into an environment that makes them unwell. Parents who want to safeguard their children are fined for non-attendance, and face an expensive uphill struggle to find alternative ways to educate their children. Yet there are other ways, including schools that focus on strength-based and autonomous learning. It's in a setting like this that Eliza has seen her child heal and thrive.

With the help of leading autism experts Eliza explores the pressure to "fix" children to fit in and how many children are masking their true self to survive at school. She looks at alternative ways to educate children who don't thrive in the mainstream model. And in light of the growing mental health crisis among young people, asks how far the UK school system is out of date and in need of reform. Are schools failing not just autistic children, but everyone?

All episodes are available to stream for free from all major podcast distributors, search Missing the Mark wherever you get you podcasts, or use the links below.

PRESENTED & PRODUCED BY ELIZA FRICKER.

WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM: KIERAN ROSE, GRAHAM BROWN MARTIN, LIZ SOPER, DR NAOMI FISHER.

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Eliza offers a range of support for parents and educators on navigating autism and education

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Information and FAQs on legislation in relation to school attendance.

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What works to support attendance? :An Appreciative Inquiry into the school-related factors which help pupils experiencing Persistent School Non-Attendance to attend secondary school

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What works to support attendance? :An Appreciative Inquiry into the school-related factors which help pupils experiencing Persistent School Non-Attendance to attend secondary school

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What works to support attendance? :An Appreciative Inquiry into the school-related factors which help pupils experiencing Persistent School Non-Attendance to attend secondary school

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the seven participants at the centre of this research who generously gave their time to speak with me about their experiences. Without them, this research would not have been possible. My thanks also go to their parents for agreeing for me to talk

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Now and Beyond - The mental health festival for schools and colleges

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Now and Beyond - The mental health festival for schools and colleges

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Now and Beyond - The mental health festival for schools and colleges

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This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website.

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School attendance policies are failing women and families - Nottingham Women’s Centre

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School attendance policies are failing women and families - Nottingham Women’s Centre

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School attendance policies are failing women and families - Nottingham Women’s Centre

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We’ve launched our campaign on school absences in response to the serious hardships women have alerted us to, due to prosecutions and fines related to their children’s school non-attendance.

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Education Access: We’ve Turned Classrooms Into a Hell for Neurodivergence

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Education Access: We’ve Turned Classrooms Into a Hell for Neurodivergence

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Education Access: We’ve Turned Classrooms Into a Hell for Neurodivergence

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We have autistic children who need us to support them as architects of their own liberation. Neurodiversity is an equity imperative and is critical in shifting the culture of teaching and learning. Mass school refusal among neurodivergent children is an early form of resistance to neuronormativity. 92.1% of those with school attendance difficulties are neurodivergent. 83.4% are autistic. We’ve turned classrooms into a hell for neurodivergence.

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PMDD/ PMS/ Balancing Hormones Support UK | Facebook

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PMDD/ PMS/ Balancing Hormones Support UK | Facebook

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PMDD/ PMS/ Balancing Hormones Support UK | Facebook

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This group was set up to help women learn about their biochemistry/biology and cycles, to avoid hysterectomy as a last ditch treatment option. It…