Understanding school stress/distress: moving beyond the functional model of school attendance

This study explored the lived experiences of children aged 8–12 and their caregivers navigating school can’t (SC), an emotionally based school non-attendance driven by a stress/distress relationship, rather than defiance. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), six neurodivergent children and young people shared how school environments influenced feelings of safety, belonging and overwhelm. Findings revealed that the distress that resulted from school-based stressors was often embodied through physical symptoms and exacerbated by inconsistent school supports and unmet sensory needs. Withdrawal emerged as a protective response to unsafe or invalidating contexts. The study underscores the need for trauma-informed, neuroaffirming and family-centred practices that prioritise emotional safety as fundamental to inclusion and learning.