School refusal. If going to school is no longer possible

“I got a phone call from the school that my daughter wasn't there. She turned out to be sitting in a bus shelter, crying and all she could say was: 'I can't go to school, I can't.' '

For some children and young people, going to school causes great emotional upheaval. School refusal is a complex issue that challenges the young person, the family, the school and the social services. In this book, the authors shed light on the phenomenon from these different perspectives. They start from the professional field and the professional literature.

This book offers concrete tools and a broader working model for tackling school refusal. Anyone confronted with school refusal will feel inspired to get started right away.

---

School refusal is situated at the intersection between education, upbringing and mental health. The different perspectives are extensively discussed in this book, both from a scientific angle but also from the stories and experiences of young people, parents, educators and care providers.

School is not the enemy, even if it seems that way in the perception of the school refuser. School refusers do want to go to school, which does not appear to be the case for the environment.

School refusal is a socially relevant phenomenon that causes a lot of suffering and has a major impact on the further development of young people. The complexity and persistence of the problem cause impotence for everyone involved: the young person, the family context, the school and the social services. This powerlessness within the network is a major stumbling block and leads to disruption and misunderstanding in the communication between those involved. The AMBIT model is a useful framework to better connect approach and help, with central mentalizing, to enhance trust. This makes growth and change possible, both for the school refuser and for the others in the network.

Nele Van Driessche, master in clinical psychology, works at De Kaap, the child and adolescent psychiatry department of Karus. She is the team coordinator of the day treatment group that focuses on young people with school refusal.

Gino Ameye is a master in clinical psychology and care manager in Karus. He has extensive experience in working with young people with school refusal. He participated in the research 'Fear of the school gate' by HOGENT.

Griet De Nys has a master's degree in educational sciences. She is a lecturer and tutor at the teacher training college of HOGENT and participated in the research 'Fear of the school gate' by HOGENT.

ISBN: 9789463714044