Delighted to share our publication on the wider impacts of #SchoolDistress. This research sheds light on the systemic trauma parents endure, the impact of this trauma, and the urgent need for more compassionate, supportive systems #ParentBlame #MentalHealth See 👉 www.frontiersin.org/journals/psy...

experience #schooldistress to the extent that #attendance is impossible. Further ?mistakes? include the sloppy conflation of diagnosis, ‘labels’ & EHCPs, seemingly to invalidate each and further erase cognitive outliers from the teacher gaze, thereby amplifying the #doubleempathyproblem. Finally,

Alternatively, we can learn from #autistic and other #neurodivergent authored theory & #EdRes, and use #neuro-affirming approaches.

Less danger of #schooldistress, #masking and #burnout.

@autisticrealms.bsky.social & @tanyaadkin.bsky.social have a fab explainer:

autisticrealms.com/neuro-affirm...

EDs can be symptoms of #autistic & #ADHD #burnout. Please can @skinnock.bsky.social read #EdRes on #schooldistress & the negative impacts of school #attendance on NDs? Please can schools be made safe, #inclusive & #neuro-affirming?

www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/ju...

researchfeatures.com/wp-content/u...

Completely agree that locating the ‘problem’ in the child does nothing to mitigate #schooldistress & inaccessibility for #neurodivergent CYP.

Learning from #autistic and other ND authored theory & #EdRes, however, promotes better understanding & #inclusion.

#monotropism
#doubleempathy

If our ed system is so successful, why are our #neurodivergent children experiencing such high levels of #schooldistress & #burnout?

PISA scores can’t justify these awful outcomes.

researchfeatures.com/children-fro...

Many families would say there is zero support or planning for children who can’t attend school, eg due to #schooldistress.

researchfeatures.com/wp-content/u...

Researchers are looking into this, so actually we now know a lot about how draining/stressful/demanding schs are for autistic YP. @sineadmullally.bsky.social (2023) & team surveyed nearly 940 fams whose children experienced #schooldistress. 92% of the YP were ND. 83% were #autistic.

#PISA data are interesting. Prob a good idea to keep their many limitations in mind, however, to avoid the ‘over-claiming’ trap.

Just from a sampling perspective, it’s worth remembering that data aren’t collected from YP whose #schooldistress and/or poor health keeps them out of sch.

This means

Have you had to help a child who "refuses" to attend school? After reading Amy Zimmer's @chalkbeat.org article on NYC's forthcoming school-avoidance liaisons, I couldn't resist. Research on addressing #schoolrefusal focuses on fixing the child, rarely looking at school conditions or #schooldistress.

Vg info & signposting on #PIP. Relatedly, those supporting a child or teen who is #notfineinschool, eg who can’t attend due to #schooldistress and unmet #SEND needs, can often claim #DLA - not means-tested. The Cerebra guide is excellent.

cerebra.org.uk/download/dis...

Mother says son’s school distress is worsening as he awaits assessment #AalborgMunicipality #children #schooldistress