School problems

This is stressful for the child and parents and can cause lots of worry. Some children who are like this settle down once they are in school and feel fine by the afternoon. Others are also anxious while in school and may have to be sent home if too distressed.

There can be many causes for this type of behaviour. A child might be finding their schoolwork difficult and have low self-esteem because of this. They might be having friendship problems or not getting on with a teacher. Or they could be experiencing bullying which they are too afraid to talk about.

Alternatively, they might be feeling worried about things at home, such as their parents’ relationship or housing problems or a new sibling. This can make them feel it isn’t safe to leave home.

Children who truant without their parents’ knowledge may also be doing it due to the causes described above. Or they may be showing other signs of behavioural problems as well such as lying, stealing and aggressive behavior.

They may be very unhappy and out of control. Alternatively, they may just be fed up and bored with school and not see the point in going. It can be a real shock for parents to find out their child is not going to school, causing feelings of anger and worry.

Some parents find their children’s distress at going to school so hard to bear they keep them at home, to avoid daily upsets. It may seem like a solution but doing this will confirm your child’s fears about school and can make the problems much worse. It is really important to address these issues with the school and work together.

Other parents do not encourage their children to go to school and can even keep them off deliberately. This is a real cause for concern and can damage their children’s education and chances in life.

School Anxiety

Some children show difficult or anxious behaviour at school, while they are mostly well-behaved and happy at home. This could be due to what’s happening in school, such as noisy classes or unsupervised playgrounds.

It could also be due to problems with friends, bullying, or peer pressure to be naughty. Another cause can be learning difficulties such as dyslexia which have not been identified and which make the child feel they are no good at school and that it is better to mess about and have fun.

Finally, some children who have very strict families regime can take the opportunity to let off steam at school.

If you are worried about any aspect of your child’s behaviour at school, or if they are not going in, it is essential to talk to the school as soon as possible.