| Is your child with autism or another disability showing | | | | training in the area of Positive Behavioral Supports |
| signs of school refusal behavior? Are you at your wits | | | | (PBS). |
| end and do not know what to do? Would you like to | | | | 2. Talk to other students or parents that are in the |
| learn about treatment and educational strategies for | | | | building and see if they have noticed any difficulty. I find |
| school refusal behavior that could benefit your child in | | | | this to be a wonderful way to truly find the truth about |
| special education? This article will be discussing school | | | | what is going on in your child's school! |
| refusal behavior, treatments and educational services | | | | 3. Check and make sure that your child is learning by |
| and strategies that could help your child in this area. | | | | asking for progress monitoring, check your child's |
| Successful treatment in this area depends on why the | | | | district and state standardized testing, and look at your |
| child is experiencing this difficulty. Could be due to | | | | state standards for the grade your child is in. If your |
| many reasons but I will discuss a few: | | | | child is not making appropriate progress they may be |
| 1. Inappropriate treatment by special education | | | | developing anxiety which can contribute to this |
| personnel. This could be due to the staffs attitudes or | | | | disorder. |
| perceived negative behavior of your child. This occurs | | | | 4. Check your child's IEP and make sure that staff is |
| quite often when school personnel do not receive the | | | | following the IEP and that your child is receiving all the |
| proper training, in how to positively deal with negative | | | | services that are listed. I have heard from many |
| behavior. | | | | parents who just assumed that their child was getting |
| 2. Inappropriate amount and type of special education | | | | the services until something happened, and they found |
| services to help your child make progress in their | | | | out their child was not getting the special education |
| education. When children are not being taught they | | | | services listed on their IEP. |
| tend to either develop negative behavior, anxiety, or | | | | 5. Ask for psychological counseling with a trained |
| depression, which could be contributing to school | | | | psychologist, if your child needs it. If your school does |
| refusal behavior. | | | | not have a trained psychologist who can do counseling, |
| 3. Anxiety or depression could be a reason that your | | | | the school district is required by the Individuals with |
| child is having this difficulty; though it would be important | | | | Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to pay for an outside |
| to figure out why your child has developed these. Was | | | | person, if your child needs it! You will probably have to |
| their a particular incident that occurred at school that | | | | fight for an outside person, but your child is worth it! |
| affected your child? Were they restrained or secluded | | | | 6. If all of these strategies do not work consider taking |
| by special education staff? These are just a few | | | | your child to a trained Psychiatrist to see if your child |
| possibilities that you can consider. | | | | could benefit from medication to help them. Also they |
| 4. Difficulty with other children due to your child's | | | | could recommend a trained psychologist that could |
| difficulty with social skills and social cues. | | | | provide counseling for your child. The school needs to |
| Below are several things that you should consider that | | | | pay for this though, since it is related to educational |
| may help your child; | | | | difficulties. |
| 1. Consider a few observations over a several day | | | | 7. Your child may need another teacher or a different |
| period at different times of the day. See how your | | | | placement that can meet their educational and |
| child interacts with school staff, and how they interact | | | | emotional needs. |
| with other children. Notice any particular | | | | By trying all of these strategies you will well be on your |
| problems-make an appointment to discuss these | | | | way to helping your child with their school refusal |
| issues with school personnel. If your child's teacher | | | | behavior! |
| cannot deal with your child's behavior ask for specific | | | | |