#62 - School Attendance Plans: Red Flags, Research and What Actually Works with Tiffany Westphal

Tiffany Westphal, director of School Can't Australia, joins host Leisa Reichelt to discuss a common stressful experience facing School Can't families: the school attendance plan. Drawing on recent survey research conducted with the School Can't Australia community, Tiffany reveals some genuinely shocking findings, including that 46% of families were presented with an attendance plan with no prior consultation, 29% were never consulted at all, and 73% felt pressured to agree to a plan they didn't think would work. Only 20% said their plan reflected the advice of their young person's allied health or medical team. Tiffany and Leisa explore why attendance plans so often fail. From the absence of child and family input, to the mismatch between what schools are measuring (attendance) and what actually needs to be addressed (the barriers and stressors making school feel unsafe). They discuss the difference between attendance plans and exposure plans, why a distressed child in the late stages of School Can't needs a fundamentally different approach, and what genuine collaborative problem-solving can look like in practice, including how Leisa used a "hypothesis" framing to shift responsibility back to the school. There's also practical guidance for families who are right in the middle of this: red flags to watch for, when to ask for a different contact at the school, when to bring an advocate, and why it's okay to say "I disagree." Relevant resources: Send us Fan Mail Support the show School Can’t Australia Facebook Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolphobiaschoolrefusalaustralia **If this podcast or the School Can’t Australia community has helped you**, please consider making a donation or volunteering to help. Find out more here: https://www.schoolcantaustralia.com.au/get-involved#donate **If this episode helped you** please take a moment to subscribe, rate, or review the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. It genuinely helps other School Can't families find us. **If you are a parent of carer in Australia and experiencing distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or contact the** Parent Help Line. **- https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/how-parentline-can-help-you** You can contact us to volunteer to share your School Can't story or some feedback via email on schoolcantpodcast@gmail.com **Disclaimer** The content of this podcast is based on personal lived experiences and is shared for informational and storytelling purposes only. It should not be treated as medical, psychological, or professional advice under any circumstances. If you have concerns about your health or well-being, please seek guidance from a doctor, therapist,...