School can’t: a conceptual framework for reframing school refusal and recognising school related stress/distress

School attendance rates continue to concern educators and researchers internationally, especially when these absences are linked to emotional distress in the children and young people affected. The Australian government has called for more research and action on school attendance issues, often termed school refusal. The authors argue that the term school refusal pathologises students and overlooks the complex interplay of individual and socio-environmental factors. They suggest using the terms school-related emotional stress/distress and school can’t to better capture the emotional impact of school-based stressors and the reduced capacity experienced by children and young people. The paper highlights the overrepresentation of neurodiverse, LGBTQI+, and Indigenous students in school non-attendance data, drawing on submissions to the Australian Senate Inquiry and existing literature. It proposes a new conceptual framework based on a dynamic socio-ecological model, shifting the focus from individual pathology to a social model, and advocates for trauma-informed, inclusive educational practices.