The Ross Trust is co-funding a centralised web-based knowledge hub for parents and school staff to help address the challenging problem of school refusal and non-attendance.

Deakin University will host the ‘one-stop shop’ digital resource, which will provide integrated and easily accessible information. 

Within one year of the launch, the initiative – which is the first of its type in Australia - aims to engage 5500 parents and train 4000 school staff.

The Ross Trust is committing $187,738 over three years to the project, while co-funder, the Brian M Davis Charitable Foundation, is committing $190,000 over the same period.

Deakin University’s Associate Professor Glenn Melvin, an internationally recognised researcher and clinician who specialises in school attendance problems, will lead the initiative.

He said that school attendance rates declined to unprecedented levels after the pandemic, and while a slight recovery was seen in 2023, 38% of students from Victorian government schools were chronically absent.

“This is alarming given absenteeism is associated with negative impacts on student learning, engagement, and wellbeing outcomes, as well as early school leaving,” he said.

There has also been a dramatic increase in a type of attendance issue referred to as school refusal (also referred to as emotionally based school avoidance and school can't). 

“At the moment, resources on school refusal and attendance are scattered in websites on other topics, such as mental health,” A/Prof Melvin said. 

“This project will be the first in Australia to create a centre of knowledge that provides attendance-specific information, resources, and practices for families and schools alike.”

The hub, which will also include video and animated information, will have a strong focus on prevention of school attendance problems. 

The web resource will feature

• co-designed training for school staff
• information and resources for parents based on current best-practice parenting guidelines developed by the Deakin University team.

A project leadership team made up of academics from Deakin University as well as University of Melbourne and Monash University will deliver the initiative, while consumer advisors and representatives from Victorian Parents Council and Parents Victoria will provide expert input.

A social media campaign will promote the web resource to parents of school-aged children and teenagers and staff at all Victorian schools, as well as through youth, health and mental health services. 

“We also plan to work closely with Victorian Parents Council and Parents Victoria to hold events such as webinars for parents on topics including school refusal and promoting positive attendance in early schooling,” A/Prof Melvin said.

The Ross Trust Senior Program Manager Meghan Weekes said that the impact of school refusal was extreme and led to an Australian Government Senate Inquiry in 2023 that received 170 submissions. None of the 14 recommendations of the inquiry have yet been implemented, however the Senate report noted the lack of a digital ‘one-stop-shop’ for families and schools with information, support and training on school attendance and absenteeism. 

Meghan said the grant would support staffing costs related to the development of the resources, co-design training for schools and teachers, and guidelines. Funds will also provide reimbursement to lived-experience participants.