Episode Details

One in four children in Northern Ireland have missed more than a tenth of school days in the current academic year.

One mental health consultant said "school-based anxiety" had become an epidemic which is "off the Richter scale" in Northern Ireland.

Some of the main causes of school avoidance are cited are anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and bullying, either physical or online.

An MLA says this is the single biggest issue she has had to deal with since being elected.

The Education and Welfare Service (EWS) currently receives an average of 300 referrals every month from schools about children who are not attending class.

Tara Mills and Declan Harvey get to grips with what help is available for families, and what to do if your child just won’t, or can’t, go to school.

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