All About School Refusal: Helping our Students Attend and Stay in School

Each year, approximately 2–5% of children refuse to come to school. School refusal can be observed in kindergarten students who demonstrate relatively mild separation anxiety to more severe cases where a student misses weeks or months of school. As a result of the social and educational consequences associated with missing school, the issue needs to examined and addressed promptly. This course will look at the factors associated with and contributing to the occurrence of school refusal. Participants will examine the short and long term effects of absenteeism, the signs and symptoms commonly associated with school refusal and research solutions to the problem.
This course is relevant to all who work in schools and with children ages 5-21 in both regular and special education settings. This course has been designed for school administrators, regular and special education teachers (grades K-12 and ages 5 to 21),special area teachers (gym, art, music) school psychologists, school counselors, guidance counselors, social workers, speech and language therapists and pathologists and occupational and physical therapists.

ON-LINE (3 Credits / 45 hours) in-service credit only