Creative interventions to assess and treat school refusal

Anxiety and school refusal is on the rise, and is a particular concern due to the impact on emotional, academic, social, and family functioning. The longer a child avoids or misses school, the more likely it will become entrenched, and will be more difficult to treat.
It is important to assess the reasons underlying the child’s school refusal, so that an effective treatment plan can be implemented.

This webinar will present innovative assessment and treatment interventions for school refusal. The most efficacious treatment for school refusal in the research is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This approach is enhanced by integrating engaging activities so that children will more readily participate in treatment and learn key skills.

Through case examples, activity demonstrations, and experiential exercises, this three-hour webinar will combine theoretical material with hands-on therapeutic techniques. Interventions will be geared to children aged 4 to 12.

Learning objectives:

• List the most common factors underlying school refusal
• Implement techniques to assess school refusal 
• Describe methods for fostering treatment readiness in anxious children
• Implement a gradual exposure plan to treat school refusal
• Discuss effective strategies for use by parents and teachers

Prerequisite: Foundational CBT knowledge from completion of Certificate in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT): Level 1 or equivalent knowledge/training.

Please note: Although this webinar might be of interest to teachers, the content is geared to mental health professionals with foundational knowledge of CBT.