What to Know When Your Child Is Scared to Go to School

Key points

As many as 28 percent of students struggle with school avoidance every year.

A team-based approach is essential—and as caregivers, parents should take the leading role.

School avoidance is typically rooted in anxiety and may be effectively treated with CBT or exposure therapy.

Parents should be kind to themselves; managing school avoidance is hard work.

If you are a caregiver and your child is scared to go to school, you are not alone. Experts estimate that anywhere from 5 to 28 percent of students may experience school avoidance each year. If your child falls into this statistic, you know how painful and challenging this can be.

Though not an official mental health diagnosis, the research on school avoidance indicates its roots are usually in emotional issues, largely