What parents have to say about school distress in neurodivergent young people
Submitted by Chloe Fielding
Attendance difficulties are increasingly being recognised as a key issue in our education system, both in the UK and worldwide. An important reason driving these attendance difficulties is school distress, which is when children and young people (CYP) experience such high levels of emotional distress that they cannot attend school. Evidence suggests that neurodivergent CYP (e.g., CYP who are autistic, dyslexic, or have ADHD) are particularly impacted by school distress and attendance difficulties. Parents/carers can provide information about the impacts of these issues on CYP and families, and the context surrounding them.
We therefore conducted online interviews with 44 parents/carers about their experiences and their child’s experiences of struggling to attend school. We then developed themes to reflect the key ideas that parents/carers discussed. These themes were:
Misalignment between mainstream demands and neurodivergent pupils’ needs
A fragile and dysfunctional support system
Distress takes over the lives of families
Driving change: What do we want from our children’s education?
The four themes highlight how the needs of CYP were not being met in mainstream schools, and how this was further compounded by a lack of understanding and support from those working with CYP, both in and outside of school. These issues created huge amounts of distress for CYP and their families in many areas of their lives.
Parents/carers called for both short-term changes to mainstream schools (e.g., uniform adjustments), and long-term changes to our education system so that all pupils can feel included.
I’m a young person – what does this mean for me?
Some neurodivergent people find mainstream environments to be overwhelming, but schools often encourage full-time attendance. Instead, we need to think about attendance difficulties in terms of the emotional and mental health needs of young people. We also need to improve support and understanding of neurodivergence and mental health difficulties so that young people feel listened to.
I’m a parent – what does this mean for me?
Families with CYP experiencing school distress and attendance difficulties clearly need more support from both school and other organisations. Attendance policies currently prioritise percentages and presence over engagement, and there is instead a clear need to reconceptualise school distress and attendance difficulties in terms of a failure to meet CYP’s emotional and mental health needs.
I’m a teacher – what does this mean for me?
As a member of staff, making sure you are engaged with good training can help to develop your knowledge and understanding of school distress and attendance difficulties. Compassion and flexibility are key ways in which you can help pupils to feel safe. At the school level, attendance policies currently prioritise percentages and presence over engagement, and there is instead a clear need to reconceptualise school distress and attendance difficulties in terms of a failure to meet CYP’s emotional and mental health needs.