How to handle school refusal – calling a Regional Youth Engagement Service (RYES)

Have you and your child’s school tried everything, and yet your child still refuses to attend school? Has your child missed more than a month of their schooling? If this is where you’re at, it might be time to call your local Regional Youth Engagement Service (RYES) and get some extra support for you and your child.

Expert teams to help you

A RYES is a team of people who help kids who are struggling to stay engaged in their schooling or refusing to go to school. The RYES comprises a team of professionals who can work with you and your child, some may include:

• guidance officers
• youth support workers
• transition support officers
• Indigenous liaison officers
• teachers.

Expert help to guide you

The team at your local RYES can help you and your child in a number of ways, including:

• providing general guidance and assessment of what your child needs
• planning your child’s learning pathway
• accessing short-term programs to help your child re-engage with their schooling
• accessing support to help manage your child’s behaviour
• accessing support for your child’s social and emotional wellbeing
• referring you to other agencies who can help your child.

Contacting a RYES

There is a RYES in every education region in Queensland to help your child reconnect with their education. They can put you in touch with guidance counsellors and other professionals who can support you and your child. Visit the Advancing Queensland website for a list of Queensland’s education regions and the contact details for each local RYES.

Find out more

This fact sheet has information about Queensland’s Regional Youth Engagement Service and you can also visit the Queensland Government’s Education website to find out more.