Free Live Webinar
School Avoidance & Autism
Wednesday, 27th August 2025
8:00pm AEST
60-minute session + Q&A
For Parents, Carers, and Professionals Supporting Autistic Children 3yrs to Young Adults
"I’ve left feeling relief and hopeful. Better information than we’ve received in any therapy session. Thank you so much."
Tracey A.
School Avoidance & the Autistic Child
Why it’s happening — and what to do when your child simply can’t go
If school mornings feel like meltdowns, shutdowns, or heartbreak — you’re not alone. This 60-minute webinar is for anyone supporting an autistic child who can’t do school (even if it looks like they’re refusing to).
Whether you're a parent, educator, or allied professional, we’ll help you make sense of what’s really going on — and offer practical, compassionate ways to move forward.
What we will cover in this webinar
1
What “School Can’t” Really Looks Like
School avoidance doesn’t always mean staying home. It can show up as distress every morning, emotional shutdowns, panic, meltdowns at school, feigned illness, or even self-harm threats. We’ll explore the many ways “I can’t” might sound — and why it’s often a cry for help, not a choice.
“This isn’t a refusal — it’s a response to overwhelm.”
2
Why It Makes Sense — Through the Lens of the Autistic Brain and Nervous System
We’ll look underneath the behaviour to explore what’s happening inside the autistic brain during school stress. From PDA and anxiety to sensory processing and fight/flight shutdowns, we’ll help you understand why school can feel unsafe — even when everything looks “fine” on the outside.
“When safety feels out of reach, learning can’t happen.”
3
Breaking It Down: The 6 Drivers of School Avoidance — and Where to Begin
We’ll break school ‘can’t’ into six common drivers to help you make sense of what might be going on for your child. You’ll leave with a clearer picture of what’s underneath the behaviour — and where you can start gently supporting change. We’ll also explore when the school environment itself may need to shift to better meet your child’s needs.
“You don’t have to fix everything — just find your starting point.”
4
Holding Space for the Child — and Yourself
Supporting a child who can’t attend school isn’t just about strategy — it’s emotional. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or allied professional, you might be feeling helpless, unheard, or unsure what else to try. We’ll explore how to hold space for the child’s needs and your own, and introduce a legal support resource for when navigating the system starts to feel like too much.
“You can support a child’s needs without losing sight of your own.”
31,588
People have attended one of our free Autism-specific webinars
7,565
People we've supported through our Autism parenting program.
Sandy Betty
Special Ed Teacher
I found the webinar on school refusal exceptional.
I would highly recommend it to both parents and teachers.
Anne Hackanson
Parent & Teacher
I cannot recommend this enough.
Very valuable information and ideas to support parents, kids and schools to have better outcomes for kids.
Yolande Wills
Support Coordinator
A wonderfully informative session.
Information from a neuroscience base, showed compassion and understanding for children and the adults who care for them.
Your Webinar Host:
Jackie Hall - Professional Counsellor & PSC Founder
Hi, I’m Jackie — a professional counsellor, trauma specialist, and founder of the Parental Stress Centre. I’ve spent the past 17 years supporting parents through complex emotional challenges like anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, and burnout — and for the past four years, I’ve specialised in working with families raising autistic children.
Since then, more than 7,500 families have come through our autism programs — each one bringing their own story, their own challenges, and their own version of “school can’t.” What that’s given me is a rare, wide-angle lens. While most professionals work with a small number of families at a time, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside thousands — listening deeply to their lived experiences, seeing what consistently helps, and noticing what gets in the way.
It’s this real-world insight, shaped by the voices of families themselves, that forms the heart of what I teach. When you zoom out far enough, you start to see the patterns — and from those patterns, we can offer calm, compassionate guidance that truly meets families where they are.
I also hold a Certificate III in Education (specialising in Autism), and my trauma training spans a wide range of mental health presentations, including depression, anxiety, addiction, and eating disorders.
This webinar brings all of that together — professional insight, lived experience (through the families I’ve supported), and practical, neuro-affirming tools to help you better understand school avoidance and respond with clarity, empathy, and confidence.
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