“My child just won’t go to school.”
This is one of the most common and heart-wrenching statements I hear from families.
Traditionally, it’s labelled school refusal, but I call it school rejection. Why? Because it’s not simply about refusal or defiance (or even choice). It’s about children feeling unable, unwilling, or unsafe in the current system.
Since the pandemic, more children have realised they have choices about how and where they learn. Families are also asking schools to rethink how education looks.
This blog will explore:
- Why children reject school.
- What UK law says about minimum education hours for children learning at home or 1:1.
- New regulations in the UAE.
Research into emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA). - Top 10 strategies to support reintegration.
- How our services provide joined-up support for schools, families, and children.
Jump to How We Can Help:
Why Do Children Reject School?
1. Anxiety and Emotional Distress
Children may feel overwhelmed by:
- Social anxiety
- Transitions between schools.
- High performance expectations.
“School rejection often signals distress, not defiance.
2. Neurodiversity and Unmet Needs
- Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or sensory processing differences can make school environments intolerable.
- Without tailored support, school can feel unsafe or unmanageable.
3. Negative School Experiences
- Bullying.
- Teacher conflicts.
- Constant academic failure that erodes confidence.
4. Learning Style Mismatch
Some children thrive in hands-on, project-based, or small-group learning. A rigid curriculum may leave them disengaged.
5. Health and Family Circumstances
Chronic illness, Long Covid, bereavement, or caring duties at home can all disrupt attendance.
6. Pandemic Shift in Expectations
Lockdowns proved that learning isn’t confined to the classroom. Families experienced flexibility – and many don’t want to go back.
7. Systemic Barriers
- Rigid timetables.
- Attendance sanctions.
- Underfunded SEN support.
8. Fear of Stigma
Children may fear being labelled as “naughty” or “lazy,” and parents may feel judged.
UK Legal Context: Education at Home and 1:1 Provision
Under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996, parents must ensure their child receives an efficient, full-time education suitable to their age, ability, and needs, whether at school or otherwise.
How Many Hours Count as “Full-Time”?
- There is no fixed legal minimum number of hours for home education.
- In school, children usually receive about five hours per day, 190 days per year (38 weeks). This is often used as a benchmark.
For home / 1:1 learning, education should take up a significant portion of the child’s life, but it can look very different – shorter days, flexible timetables, experiential learning.
Call-out box idea: Did you know?
Parents are not required to:
- Follow the National Curriculum.
- Replicate school hours.
- Have teaching qualifications.
The focus is on whether the education is suitable – preparing the child for adult life, enabling progress, and meeting SEN where applicable.
For more information visit the link below:
United Arab Emirates
1. Compulsory Education Law
- Federal Decree Law No. 39 of 2022 on Compulsory Education requires parents / guardians to enrol their children in school and ensure their attendance during the compulsory education period.
- Federal Law No. 11 of 1972 concerning Compulsory Education also sets out that education is compulsory in the elementary stage, starting at age six, and that the state provides free schools, books, teachers, etc., for citizens.
- The law distinguishes between UAE citizens and non-citizens: for citizens, compulsory education covers from primary through to the end of secondary (or until age 18). For non-citizens, compulsory education is required until the end of primary school.
2. Obligations of Parents / Guardians
- Parents / legal guardians are legally obligated to enrol the child at the start of the school year (or when age appropriate) and ensure regular attendance.
- Under Article 6, Parents/legal guardians are exempted from enrolling a child if there is documentation in place.
- If they don’t enrol a child, or if the child fails to attend regularly during the compulsory education period without valid reason, there are legal consequences.
3. Penalties for Non-Enrollment / Non-Attendance
- Failure to enrol a child during the period of compulsory education may result in a fine (at least AED 5,000) or imprisonment.
- Public Prosecution has authority in this regard.
4. New / Recent Attendance & Absence Rules (2025-2026 Academic Year)
For children who are enrolled in a traditional school, the UAE Ministry of Education has introduced / approved new guidelines to tighten attendance rules. These affect and/or will affect public schools, and in many cases private schools via local education authorities (e.g. ADEK in Abu Dhabi). Some of the key points:
Warning and Notification
After one day of unexcused absence, a written warning is issued; parents are to be notified immediately
Maximum Unexcused Absences
A maximum of 5 unexcused days per term, or 15 per academic year. Exceeding that may lead to repeating the year.
Counted Absences Around Holidays / Fridays
Missing on a Friday or directly before/after a public holiday is counted as two days of absence.
Support / Intervention Plans
For students “at risk” due to frequent absences, schools must prepare support plans (including psychological / educational support, regular communications with parents, motivational programs).
Appeal Rights for Parents
Parents have the right to appeal notifications regarding absences. Example: within five working days.
5. Regulation by Emirate Authorities
- In Abu Dhabi: ADEK (Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge) has its Student Administrative Affairs Policy. It includes authorised absences (with documentation) for things like medical leave, death in family, scheduled medical appointments etc
- Schools must monitor attendance, flag students exceeding 5% of total school days as “cause for concern,” report late arrivals, track attendance via information systems, etc
- In Abu Dhabi: ADEK (Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge) has its Student Administrative Affairs Policy. It includes authorised absences (with documentation) for things like medical leave, death in family, scheduled medical appointments etc
6. Legal Basis & Rights
- The UAE Constitution, and subsequent laws guarantee the right to education, and require the government to provide free education (for citizens) and ensure compulsory education.
- The Child Rights Law also includes provisions that parents / legal guardians must not fail to enrol their child in education or leave a child without attending school during compulsory education, unless they are exempt.
Implications / What Is Not Explicitly Covered
As of now, I could not find published any regulation that defines how many hours per day or per subject must a child attend (in the case of homeschooling or alternative provisions) — unlike the UK, I did not see legal minimum daily/weekly hours in publicly available sources.
Most of the rules refer to attendance / absence counts rather than detailed content of education if schooling is provided in alternative formats.
What Research Says About School Rejection (EBSA)
Terminology Shift
- Many specialists now use “Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)” instead of “refusal.”
- This reduces blame and highlights emotional distress as the root cause.
Prevalence
- Around 1–2% of children experience EBSA pre-pandemic.
- Post-pandemic numbers are rising, with persistent absenteeism now affecting more than 10% of children in England.
Key Findings
- Neurodivergence and anxiety are the biggest risk factors.
- Emotional distress worsens the longer a child is out of school. However, reintegration support plans are known to work, slowly and gradually.
- Families also experience high stress and burnout.
References:
- Newcastle University study (2025): many children avoid school due to severe emotional distress.
- ONS data (2025): links between absence and child mental illness.
- International reviews: early intervention and flexible schooling models work best.
Top 10 Tips for Supporting Reintegration
- Listen First – Ask the child what’s hard. Validate their feelings.
- Assess Needs – Look at SEN, trauma history, and learning gaps.
- Phased Return – Start with half days or certain lessons.
- Safe Spaces – Provide a retreat area in school.
- Peer Support – Buddy systems and small-group activities help.
- Catch-Up with Care – Avoid overwhelming testing; scaffold learning gently.
- Therapeutic Support – Access counselling or therapy.
- Parent Support – Reduce blame, provide resources and peer networks.
- Collaborative Planning – Family, school, and professionals reviewing progress together.
- Alternative Provision – Explore specialist schools, hybrid models, or long-term home education if needed.
“Flexibility, not force, builds the bridge back to learning.”
How We Help
At Louise Dawson PMDT, we specialise in bridging the gap between families and schools. With 20 years of school experience, 27 years parenting neurodiversity and specialist qualifications and training we understand that a holistic approach is vital to success. We are able to implement a planned progression route that includes:
- Family meetings: we listen to your story and identify needs.
- School meetings: we help staff understand barriers and solutions.
- Child meetings: we build trust and explore what feels safe.
- Support plans: we co-create flexible, practical pathways.
- Signposting: where needed, we connect families to therapists, SEN assessors, or alternative provision.
Our goal is simple: to reduce distress, rebuild trust, and create a sustainable education pathway for every child.
Come check out our centre today and learn how we can help to reintegrate.
Or book a meeting with Louise Dawson to learn the best way to support your Childs individual needs.