School

For some young people, the school morning brings more than the usual grumbles. It brings stomach aches, tears, shutdown or panic. For parents, it can be heartbreaking and confusing, especially when you're told to "just get them in." This is school distress, and in Ireland it's far more common than many people realise. It's not about a child who "won't" go School distress is often described as school refusal, but that language puts the problem on the child. In our experience,

Welcome to this month’s blog! As a clinical specialist occupational therapist working in mental health, I’ve witnessed firsthand the challenges many young people face when it comes to attending school. This month, I want to dive into a crucial topic: attendance doesn’t equal wellness. Understanding the Struggle We’re seeing an increasing number of young people coming into our clinic who are struggling to attend school. While attendance is often viewed as a sign of wellness, t