Truancy is when students are absent from school without their parents’ knowledge or permission. It’s also called ‘wagging school’.
If your child is truanting, it might look like they’re going to school. They’ll leave and come home at the usual time, and they might even go to school some of the time. But they’ll miss particular classes or even whole days at school. They might spend their time in places like the shops, movies, parks or friends’ houses.
If you know your child has been wagging school, talking with your child is an important first step. This will help you work out how to help your child get back to school.
Once a student is truant, they are considered juvenile, and the state or local government can enforce this. Truancy is different in every state and districts, some may place truant students in detention while others may place them in a community service project.
You might want to try the following:
- Talk with your child about why they’re not going to school and what they’re doing instead. For example, ‘The school contacted me today to say you weren’t there again. I think we need to talk’.
- Actively listen when your child talks about why they’re wagging school. This will help you understand what’s going on. For example, ‘ I know it’s hard to say no when Austin asks you to wag’. This will also help you pick up on any underlying problems.
- Work with your child to find a solution. For example, ‘Let’s talk to your year coordinator about how to make things more interesting for you in class’.
TIPS FOR PREVENTING TRUANCY
*Ask your youngster her thoughts on truancy.
*Take an active interest in your kid’s schoolwork. Ask them to demonstrate what they learned in school.
*Consider counseling in you, the parent,cannot resolve the issue on your own.
*Give the consistent message, “You will go to school.”
*Look for negative behavior changes such as staying out late.
*Seek a counselor if your youngster’s behavior becomes, distant, withdrawn, anxious, depressed, delinquent or aggressive.
* When your child skips a class, react immediately insisting that your youngster attend school.
