Reflecting on her past experiences, Shanon Mitchell reveals that the moment her son Finn began refusing to attend secondary school, she was shunned by other parents. Mitchell conveys the isolation she felt, as parents distanced themselves for fear of their children viewing school refusal as an acceptable behaviour.
Finn, a bright young boy diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), had managed in primary school, thanks to additional support. However, transitioning to secondary school proved overwhelming for him. Bringing forth his own perspective, Finn elaborates on his struggle, stating his inability to carry out an everyday task like attending school had a massive blow to his self-esteem, leaving him devoid of any desire to engage in activities or even step out of his house.
Recalling the initial week of Finn’s secondary school, Mitchell paints a bleak picture. She speaks of the distress Finn faced, from being reprimanded for minor infractions like not wearing his trainers or losing a book, to experiencing anxiety, unhealthy eating habits and an overwhelming reluctancy to exit the car.
Mitchell’s struggle is not unique, mirroring the experiences of numerous parents who, despite successfully getting their child into the school grounds, are left helpless when faced with a child who resolutely refuses to enter the school building. After months of trial and error with homeschooling, Mitchell, with the aid of a local Tusla education welfare officer, discovered an alternative education service suitable for Finn.
Finn ended up at iScoil, an institution providing both home and centre-based education for 13 to 16-year-olds. Schools in Ireland are legally bound to report to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, if a child below 16 years is absent for more than 20 unexplained days in a year. Parents who opt to homeschool their children also need to secure the approval of Tusla’s educational support services.
Institutions like Youthreach, iScoil, and the National Learning Network in Ireland offer customised assessment programmes and project work/training for youth. Jane Watson, an occupational psychologist with the National Learning Network, acknowledges the surge in school refusals and how many such students eventually end up in their programs.
Watson also emphasizes that the Covid pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing issues, turning the spotlight on reasons such as post-pandemic anxiety, familial stress, trauma and bullying that contribute to advance school avoidance. She points out that while the pandemic has left many youths devoid of social skills, it just amplified issues they were already grappling with.
As reported by iScoil’s CEO, Brian Fitzsimons, the educational programmes provided by the organisation proactively cater to a diverse array of young individuals dealing with a multitude of intricate requirements. Fitzsimons highlights that these requirements span from ADHD and autism to trauma and chronic illnesses, amongst other challenges.
The efficacy of iScoil’s programmes is confirmed as being high for most students partaking in them, as explained by Fitzsimons. According to him, iScoil tailors its approach to suit a group of learners unable to conform to mainstream educational institutions. Fitzsimons emphasises their focus on a safe, supportive, and personalised learning environment, standing by the teacher’s knowledge in special education and deep-rooted understanding of disadvantaged students, stressing the importance of relationships.
Fitzsimons boasts that four out of five learners participated in their Junior Cycle equivalent programme successfully move forward with further education and training post-iScoil. A testament to this success, Finn, son of Shanon Mitchell, completed a three-year iScoil programme at home and successfully bagged a Leaving Cert level qualification at Gorey Youth Needs, another alternative educator. Mitchell envisions a future in the Irish Defence Forces for Finn and credits iScoil as a game-changer in his life.
Watson, on the contrary, suggests that mainstream schools struggle to cater to students with varied needs, primarily due to time constraints to keep up with the families and students. However, she advocates that a supported, encouraged, and well-managed environment could encourage many of these students to adapt and regain their confidence in schools.
Retention issues in school can be addressed efficiently by good communication skills. Watson advises addressing the issue head-on and seeking help from form teachers if required. Encouraging parents not to reward school refusal with pleasures like gaming or smartphone usage can also help. Parents often feel overwhelmed and unsuccessful when their children reject school, primarily because the mainstream education system might be too demanding for them, Watson concluded.
Specialist training organisations are indispensable for providing targeted educational paths for learners who require a more personalised approach. There is a particular group of neurodiverse students at the National Learning Network who have expressed feeling understood and visible for the first time. Watson observes that traditional schooling is excessively noise-filled and frenzied for them, often overwhelming them.
Despite this, access to these tailored education options are strained due to the immensely high demand and limited resources. iScoil is struggling with meeting the incoming demand for their home-based services this upcoming September; they’ve received 119 eligible applications but can accommodate a mere 60. The CEO of iScoil, Fitzsimmons, revealed that a significant number among these applicants have no other alternatives.
However, during the previous two and a half years, over 4,000 students have enrolled in training courses facilitated by the National Learning Network. More than 40% of these are early school leavers; many have not achieved formal qualifications while at secondary school levels. However, the NLN is optimistic about accepting all applicants this September.
Different learners require unique environments for effective learning, Fitzsimmons articulates. He further explains they often witness students with diminished confidence and self-esteem start to regain belief in themselves, rebuild their lives, and envisions their own future.
Reflecting on her personal experience, Daisy Hogan (18) shares that she dropped out midway through her third year at secondary school. The stress of returning to school after the Covid lockdown and adjusting to mask wearing proved to be too much for her despite having friends.
Daisy enrolled in an iScoil home-based program after several months away from school. The experience was fruitful for her; she recalls the guidance of a supportive mentor which helped her get through the programme. Even though she frequented school intermittently during her transition and fifth year, with repeated absences, she joined Youthreach in Killinarden and plans to start a Post-Leaving Certificate course this January with ambitions of attending college.
She expressed that the traditional school setting wasn’t suitable for her. The systematic method of learning in a large group, always seated, failed to cater her learning needs, she elaborates further. She appreciated the adaptability that the iScoil and Youth Reach programmes offered, allowing her to pause when needed.
Her confidence has spiked since then. Now, she engages in a substantially broader range of activities and ventures out more often.