School avoidance & refusal can take many forms, making school attendance difficult for your child.
School avoidance gets in the way of school success, undermines learning and social functioning, and disrupts family life, all in very big ways.
School refusal and avoidance can include Sunday night tantrums, morning meltdowns, frequent visits to the nurse's office, and complaints of headaches, fatigue, stomachaches, worries, and declarations of “I can’t” that make it hard for the child or teen to get to or to stay in school. School avoidance and refusal can feel like a vicious cycle, rapidly escalating almost overnight.
School Avoidance & How We Can Help
We offer comprehensive assessments and recommendations, as well as coaching to help get your child back to school full time and functioning at their best.
Assessment & Plan
Successful School Transitions will work with your family, either as a stand alone service or with your current treatment providers to best understand what is driving your child’s behaviors and struggles and to develop a clear plan on how to best address them. We demystify your child’s behaviors through a comprehensive assessment and provide a road map to change behaviors through our plan, which provides concrete steps for you and your child.
Learning Skills
Once there is a clear picture of what is driving your child’s behaviors and struggles, targeted therapy will teach your child and family the necessary skills to move forward and get back to school. This can be through our Intensive Therapy Service or with an outside provider. When necessary, we can connect you with expert therapists. Regardless of who is teaching these skills, we collaborate with your therapeutic team, school staff and family to ensure your child has the best resources available.
Putting Skills to Use
Putting newly learned but necessary skills to use outside of therapy can be a challenge for many children with school avoidance and their families. In real life moments, families often feel stuck and think “they can’t.” When applicable, Coaching will work with your child in tandem with therapy to help your family implement these transformative skills and powerful new habits: we change “I can’t” to “I can.” Coaching is the bridge between therapy and practical success.
Lasting Results
After being in crisis mode for so long, it’s momentous when your child and family can notice real results — immediate improvement in anxiety, mood and confidence, increased engagement and attendance in school, as well as less family struggles. Our goal is for your child and family to sustain these positive changes through the establishment of effective long term “success” habits and strategies. A modified plan and coaching can help your family maintain these hard earned gains.