This blog post is a response to an Ask an autism researcher question from 2013.
What can be done to help a school refuser?
The situation that you describe sounds very difficult, and we wish we were in a position to provide specific practical advice. Our team at OTARC includes psychologists, speech pathologists, and parents familiar with the challenges your child is navigating. In our experience, there is rarely a simple fix in these situations. To be in a position to offer specific advice in your situation, we would need to learn a lot more about all of the factors that might be at play and also help implement any suggestions or recommendations we might make. Our primary role at OTARC is to conduct research to improve the support provided to Autistic children, adolescents, and adults, and our clinical work currently focuses on early diagnosis and support in the early years.
Who is willing and able to help?
In terms of general advice, however, we have reflected on our experiences working with children, families, and teachers in similar situations. We suggest looking first at who is already willing and able your child attend and remain at school. Hopefully, this includes:
- your son’s teacher,
- any support staff in the school,
- and ideally, the vice principal or principal.
It is often necessary to have ‘buy-in’ at these different levels because part of supporting school attendance often involves some adjustments (even if just temporary) in the classroom (for example, possibly Allowing your child to use a computer for some tasks to better accommodate their learning style, putting in place or refining a buddy system for lunch times, incorporating some of your child’s interests into non-preferred activities). This group of people may also include any private therapists you are working with. If none are involved, you may consider seeking support and advice through these channels.
These professionals work collaboratively to help children reach their full potential by addressing their specific needs with care and expertise.
Psychologists specialise in understanding learning and behaviour. They play a key role in helping children recognise and build on their strengths. They can also provide strategies that empower children to approach challenging situations or activities, such as school, in ways that suit their learning styles. By reframing how children perceive challenges, psychologists help reduce barriers to attending school and improve wellbeing.
Speech pathologists with school experience offer valuable support by supporting communication skills and positive peer relationships. They tailor their approach to each child’s unique communication needs, enabling children to express themselves more effectively and engage with their social environment.
Occupational therapists specialise in supporting children’s motor skill development and providing alternative methods for tasks like handwriting. For children who find handwriting difficult, painful or uncomfortable, occupational therapists help them explore adaptive techniques and tools, ensuring they can continue to participate and thrive in classroom activities.
If children are experiencing sleep challenges, it’s important to consider seeking support from paediatricians and clinicsspecialising in this area. They can offer individualised support to promote optimal sleep patterns, which are crucial for a child’s overall development and wellbeing.
We can only offer broad advice and appreciate that you may have already explored these options. Nevertheless, we hope that our thoughts may be of some help, and will certainly consider what role we can play as a Centre in progressing research into supports for school-age Autistic children, in light of your experience.
By Dr David Trembath, language updated 2024
