The issue of school attendance is currently the focus of intense activity in Schools & Local Educational Authorities in England. The latest figures from the Department for Schools, Children and Families shows the overall absenteeism as 6.26%, in England. It is thought approximately 1 to 5 percent of all school-aged children have school refusal (Fremont, 2003) and is one of the reason of School non attendance.

To investigate if the current practice regarding the assessment and management of school refusal is compliant with the local CAMHS School refusal protocol.

20 case notes of clients diagnosed with anxiety based school refusal were reviewed against standards

Majority (80%) of the patients attended their first CAMHS Clinic during which evaluations of Child (100%), family (100%) & school factors (70%) contributing to School refusal was carried out. We found anxiety disorders (83%) & depression (66%) as the main contributing child factors. We also found that nearly half of the children had parental mental illness as a signification contributory factor.

Following the initial assessment, school reports including attendance were requested in 84% of the cases. Unfortunately 33% of the patients who attended the 1st clinic did not attend further appointments. All the patients (67%) were offered gradual return to school, attendance at pupil referral unit and home tuition.25% were offered family therapy and 16% of the patients have their parents referred to the adult mental health unit. Individual works including behavioural and cognitive approach was undertaken in 42% of the cases.