School Can’t Australia’s Lived Experience Panel

On 9 November 2024, School Can’t Australia and Tandem hosted a Lived Experience Panel. Over 100 people attended. We are sharing the recording of this event here for those who were unable to attend.

Host: Natasha Siryj, Board member, School Can’t Australia

Speakers:     Marie Piu,  CEO, Tandem Carers

                        Tiffany Westphal, Board member, School Can’t Australia

Lived and Living Experience Panellists:          

Dr Rachel Leslie, Researcher & academic

        Tiffany Westphal, Social worker & SCA board member

        Emma Patten, Home educator & former lecturer

All three panellists are parents of children/young people who have experienced school can’t.

Some of the key take aways viewers shared after watching this presentation:

“Be nervous system aware” don’t gaslight young people for acknowledging and voicing the cues their nervous system is sending them”

“Look harder into why student does not want to be at school”

“I have lots, that I will share with my colleagues. especially moving away from the idea of 'school refusal' to 'school can't'.”

“The isolation and lack of support is felt widely”

“School can't t is an isolating experiencing - shaming and blaming children only harms them”

“That everything I've explained to the school, that everything in my gut about my son's state has been true. Esp the trust between child and parent - how important that is! And I've promised him never to break that, that I have his back!”

“That more schools and teachers need to be educated on providing a safe space for ALL children.”

Viewer responses:

“Lived experience stories were enlightening and raw, authentic and honest”

“I left feeling more empowered”

“Thank you ever so much for putting this together. Schools kinder and childcare need to hear directly from you. Thank you!”