School Absences Due to Fear: Silent Educational Retreats
In the heart of Germany, Dortmund has taken a significant step towards addressing a common yet often overlooked issue among students - school refusal. Established in 2024, the city's Special Counseling and Support Service for School Refusal has been designed to provide assistance to teachers, parents, medical professionals, youth welfare office employees, and the police.
The service, part of the School Psychological Counseling Service, focuses on helping school-avoiding and school-weary youth. In 2021, the plan "Effectively Addressing School Absenteeism" was jointly developed by the team, with the aim to combat the silent withdrawal from school that can occur when fear takes control.
The plan offers support for various professionals working with children and young people. It provides personalized counseling, family involvement, and cooperation with schools and mental health professionals to address the psychological, social, and educational aspects contributing to school refusal.
The reasons for school-absent behavior can develop in various areas of life, including individual, family, social, or school problems. The service works closely with schools, parents, and the youth welfare office to ensure that all partners involved have the same basic knowledge and that their approaches are coordinated.
Primary school children in Dortmund are also strengthened with experiences in nature to combat school fatigue. Repeated absence from school can have significant negative consequences for the mental health and social development of children and adolescents.
The Dortmund service, under the guidance of psychologist Anne Meisborn, can be contacted at Königswall 25-27, 44137 Dortmund, phone number +49 231 5027177, and email [email protected].
The plan "Effectively Addressing School Absenteeism" was awarded a prize in the BUKO competition "Psychology of Education in Motion". It's a testament to Dortmund's commitment to ensuring that every student has the support they need to thrive academically and socially.
In summary, Dortmund’s counseling for school refusal embodies a holistic approach integrating counseling, family-school cooperation, and gradual reintegration under professional guidance, consistent with established German protocols for handling such educational challenges. For more precise names or contact details of the Dortmund services, you can refer to the local education authority or youth welfare office webpages.
The Dortmund service, integrated within the School Psychological Counseling Service, offers personalized support to various professionals, including teachers, parents, medical professionals, and youth welfare office employees, working with school-avoiding and school-weary youth. This comprehensive approach, encompassing mental-health counseling, family collaboration, and educational assistance, is aimed at addressing school absenteeism, thereby contributing positively to children's mental-health, social development, and education-and-self-development.
