Topic
School refusal
Resources for school staff and families working with anxiety-driven school avoidance.
Reviewed by Grounded Scribe ·
Each psychoeducation page is checked against current Australian source authorities (RANZCP, APS, AASW, OT Australia, Beyond Blue, Headspace, Black Dog Institute) and updated at least annually.
School can't-attend (more accurate than "school refusal") is almost always anxiety in the driver's seat — sometimes with comorbid mood, learning, or sensory profiles underneath. The handouts here support the regulation work that needs to happen in parallel with any return-to-school plan.
Handouts in this topic
Window of Tolerance
Understanding your optimal zone for processing emotions and stress, and what happens when we move outside it.
Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn: Stress Responses
Understanding the four main ways our nervous system responds to perceived threats.
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique
A simple sensory-based technique for managing anxiety and staying present.
Breathing Exercises for Calm
Simple breathing techniques to activate your relaxation response.
Attachment Styles in Relationships
Understanding the four attachment styles and how they affect our relationships.
Frequently asked questions
Is graduated return always the right approach?+
It is the most common evidence-informed approach, but pace must be matched to the young person's window of tolerance. Pushing too fast retraumatises and deepens avoidance. The Window of Tolerance handout is a useful shared language with families and schools.