Centacare’s cool2b@school School Refusal Program offers assistance to school aged children and adolescents, who experience extended absences with no apparent reason. The clinical term for it, school refusal, is often confused with truancy, however unlike truants, school refusers isolate themselves to the point where fears set in and the thought of returning to school causes anxiety and physical illness. If untreated this can lead to poor academic performance, long-term mental health problems and reduced opportunities in life.

Our cool2b@school School Refusal Program assists students through an integrated approach, which includes:

• early intervention for students just beginning to show the first signs of school refusal
• counselling for school refusers
• school liaison and consultancy to support parents with counselling and education
• training for teachers and school administrators

Centacare’s cool2b@school School Refusal Program is currently available from our Mitcham and Cabrini Centacare locations with further plans to develop the program at Dandenong and Footscray.