School avoidance affects up to 28% of students

School refusal, also known as school avoidance, affects up to 28% of students at some point during their school years. For neurodivergent children, the school environment can feel like a 'minefield' due to challenges with social skills, learning, attention, and executive function.

Experts suggest that refusal is often not an act of defiance but a response to feeling unable to succeed or feeling unsupported by peers and teachers. Physical symptoms, such as stomachaches, can also be linked to a fear of getting sick in public. Transition periods, such as Monday mornings or the start of a new school year, are common triggers.

To support children facing school-related anxiety, various strategies are recommended:

- Using children’s books to introduce school concepts and process emotions. - Engaging in low-pressure outdoor learning, such as gardening, to build confidence through small, non-graded successes. - Maintaining open communication with educators and setting small, achievable goals.

In the South Bronx, community initiatives like Catholic Charities of New York are addressing the financial stresses of the back-to-school season by distributing backpacks and supplies to low-income families.