The School Can't Experience

Lucette, a mum of two neurodivergent girls, education advocate and author, speaks with our host, Leisa Reichelt about a School Can’t journey that began as “Daycare Can’t” and “Kinder Can’t.” Lucette describes years of difficult drop-offs, restraint collapse, and escalating distress—including absconding and family crisis—before her eldest child, ‘Big A’, was identified as autistic and ADHD with high sensory needs, and the family began using more PDA-aligned, low-demand communication. 
Despite extensive home-provided supports and an early advocacy consult to understand school rights and adjustments, a change of teacher in Grade 1 coincided with worsening experiences and a missed school meeting, prompting a rapid school move. 
A a small mainstream school with strong leadership, staff training, and full-time classroom aides, eventually made a huge difference. 
Lucette emphasizes trusting your gut, bringing advocates or support people to meetings, knowing your rights, and she shares her children’s book about emotions and regulation, “When I’m Excited, I fart Glitter”.

People & resources mentioned in this episode:
Autism Goals - https://www.autismgoals.com.au/
Lucette’s book: When I’m Excited, I Fart Glitter - https://www.instagram.com/lmc.writes/
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Support the show
School Can’t Australia Facebook Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolphobiaschoolrefusalaustralia
Make a donation to School Can’t Australia - https://www.schoolcantaustralia.com.au/get-involved
If you are a parent of carer in Australia and experiencing distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or contact the Parent Help Line. - https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/how-parentline-can-help-you
You can contact us to volunteer to share your School Can't story or some feedback via email on [email protected]
Disclaimer
The content of this podcast is based on personal lived experiences and is shared for informational and storytelling purposes only. It should not be treated as medical, psychological, or professional advice under any circumstances. If you have concerns about your health or well-being, please seek guidance from a doctor, therapist, or other qualified professional.

This week we welcome Laura, a nurse and mum of three in Victoria, to share her family’s experience supporting her 15-year-old daughter, Mimi, through ongoing School Can’t. 
Laura describes Mimi’s early anxiety, neurodivergence, and how returning to school after COVID intensified distress, leading to escalating attendance struggles in high school, especially without close friendships and with limited school wellbeing capacity. 
She explains the daily realities of getting out the door, the impact on work and family relationships, and the personal parenting work required to shift away from “just make them go” approaches. 
Practical school-based supports (trusted staff members meeting Mimi on arrival) and the Hands-on Learning program, where Mimi’s engagement and attendance are consistently high, demonstrate how changing the environment can transform the accessibility of education.

People & resources mentioned in this episode:
Hands On Learning - https://handsonlearning.org.au

Send us Fan Mail
Support the show
School Can’t Australia Facebook Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolphobiaschoolrefusalaustralia
Make a donation to School Can’t Australia - https://www.schoolcantaustralia.com.au/get-involved
If you are a parent of carer in Australia and experiencing distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or contact the Parent Help Line. - https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/how-parentline-can-help-you
You can contact us to volunteer to share your School Can't story or some feedback via email on [email protected]
Disclaimer
The content of this podcast is based on personal lived experiences and is shared for informational and storytelling purposes only. It should not be treated as medical, psychological, or professional advice under any circumstances. If you have concerns about your health or well-being, please seek guidance from a doctor, therapist, or other qualified professional.

This week we welcomed Jessica, an OT and mother of two neurodivergent children, to share her lived experience of School Can’t. Jess’s eldest child experienced early anxiety and separation difficulties through escalating distress in primary school. 
Jess describes navigating borderline ADHD diagnosis, later recognising broader neurodivergence, trialling and stopping stimulants due to aggression on comedown, and finding both supportive and adverse school interactions. 
After a severe panic attack and medical leave, the family shifted to homeschooling and gradually rebuilt capacity through neurodivergent-friendly social groups, parent education (including Dr. Ross Greene’s Collaborative Proactive Solutions), and therapy. 
Jess explains how meaning-driven pathways via community school and VET led to renewed engagement, culminating in her child attending Year 12 four days a week, and she emphasizes holding hope and having Plan B/C/D options.
CONTENT WARNING:  This episode does take us to some dark places at times. Part of this interview includes discussing distressing experiences attending hospital, and also distressing interactions with some teachers. If you're a teacher, you might feel uncomfortable listening to parts of this story  as this episode deals with several adverse experiences at school, including an assault of a teacher. 
  We ask you to remember that just as Dr. Ross Greene says, kids do well if they can, we hold it to be true, that adults, including parents, teachers and medical professionals are generally doing the best that they can as well.  iIf you don't have capacity for this today, feel free to skip this one or maybe listen another time.

People & resources mentioned in this episode:
Hub Clinic - https://hub.clinic/
Home Education Network (HEN) - https://home-ed.vic.edu.au/
Dr Ross Greene, Collaborative Proactive Solutions (CPS) - https://livesinthebalance.org/
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) https://www.health.vic.gov.au/mental-health-services/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-services
Tuning into Kids /Teens - https://tuningintokids.org.au/parents/finding-a-tuning-in-parenting-group/
Send us Fan Mail
Support the show
School Can’t Australia Facebook Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolphobiaschoolrefusalaustralia
Make a donation to School Can’t Australia - https://www.schoolcantaustralia.com.au/get-involved
If you are a parent of carer in Australia and experiencing distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or contact the Parent Help Line. - https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/how-parentline-can-help-you
You can contact us to volunteer to share your School Can't story or some feedback via email on [email protected]
Disclaimer
The content of this podcast is based on personal lived experiences and is shared for informational and storytelling purposes only. It should not be treated as medical, psychological, or professional advice under any circumstances. If you have concerns about your health or well-being, please seek guidance from a doctor, therapist, or other qualified professional.

Professor Linda Graham (Queensland University of Technology), Director of the QUT Centre for Inclusive Education, joins host, Leisa Reichelt to discuss research showing that universally accessible teaching and assessment improves outcomes for neurodivergent students and benefits all learners. 
Professor Graham shares her own experience of being pushed out of school, her pathway to university, and her commitment to changing education for students like herself and her neurodivergent children. 
She advises families to understand rights under the CRPD, the Disability Discrimination Act, and the Disability Standards for Education, emphasizing schools’ obligation to consult students and parents and address barriers rather than offer generic or harmful adjustments. 
Professor Graham describes practical accessible assessment and teaching strategies (clear task design, removing unnecessary visual clutter, defining key terms, using visual supports for instructions) and notes how academic barriers and bullying harm wellbeing and self-concept, contributing to School Can’t.

00:00 Welcome and Episode Preview
01:05 Meet Professor Linda Graham
02:19 Linda’s School Story
04:30 From Parenting to Purpose
07:30 Know Your Rights at School
14:07 Trust Your Child and Yourself
22:24 Why Schools Still Exclude
24:43 Research on Accessible Learning
29:16 What Accessible Assessment Looks Like
34:54 Accessible Teaching Strategies
41:59 Making Change Without Burnout
46:41 Resources and Closing Thoughts

People & resources mentioned in this episode:
Professor Linda Graham on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/professor-linda-j-graham-82458522/
QUT Centre for Inclusive Education - https://research.qut.edu.au/c4ie/
 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, General comment No. 4 on Article 24 - the right to inclusive education https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/general-comments-and-recommendations/general-comment-no-4-article-24-right-inclusive
Send us Fan Mail
Support the show
School Can’t Australia Facebook Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolphobiaschoolrefusalaustralia
Make a donation to School Can’t Australia - https://www.schoolcantaustralia.com.au/get-involved
If you are a parent of carer in Australia and experiencing distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or contact the Parent Help Line. - https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/how-parentline-can-help-you
You can contact us to volunteer to share your School Can't story or some feedback via email on [email protected]
Disclaimer
The content of this podcast is based on personal lived experiences and is shared for informational and storytelling purposes only. It should not be treated as medical, psychological, or professional advice under any circumstances. If you have concerns about your health or well-being, please seek guidance from a doctor, therapist, or other qualified professional.

Host Leisa Reichelt is joined by  18-year-old Althea and her mum, Claire to talk about about Althea’s School Can’t experience through high school in Melbourne. 
After early positive years at school COVID stuck, meaning much of Years 7–8 were done on Zoom, disrupting connection and engagement with school. By Years 9–10 sensory overwhelm was escalating but getting accommodations involved battles, meanwhile academic pressures and worsening mental health led made it harder and harder for Althea to attend school. 
Following ADHD and autism diagnoses, Althea and Claire explored alternatives and ultimately were able to do homeschooling with a part-time (dual) enrolment so Althea could continue VCE Outdoor Ed and stay connected to friends and meaningful roles like library volunteering. Working with educational therapy and towards the Big Picture learning credential, Althea pursued interest-based learning, fundraising, conferences, and career exploration, and has now started TAFE study in Allied Health Assistance. 
This is a hopeful story that shows how by finding the right path rather than just pushing on with mainstream approaches, our young people can overcome extremely difficult experiences and go on to thrive.

People & resources mentioned in this episode:
Althea’s Macquarie Island Conference Presentation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hpMILLuykU
U&I Educational Therapy - https://www.uandi.com.au/educationaltherapy
Mitagundi Outdoor Education Centre - https://www.mittagundi.org.au/
Wollangarra Outdoor Education Centre  - https://wollangarra.org/
Big Picture Australia - https://www.bigpicture.org.au/
Big Picture International Learning Credential - https://www.bigpicture.org.au/what-international-big-picture-learning-credential
Send us Fan Mail
Support the show
School Can’t Australia Facebook Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolphobiaschoolrefusalaustralia
Make a donation to School Can’t Australia - https://www.schoolcantaustralia.com.au/get-involved
If you are a parent of carer in Australia and experiencing distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or contact the Parent Help Line. - https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/how-parentline-can-help-you
You can contact us to volunteer to share your School Can't story or some feedback via email on [email protected]
Disclaimer
The content of this podcast is based on personal lived experiences and is shared for informational and storytelling purposes only. It should not be treated as medical, psychological, or professional advice under any circumstances. If you have concerns about your health or well-being, please seek guidance from a doctor, therapist, or other qualified professional.