Every Day Matters: Reducing School Non-Attendance in Autistic Students

Community consultation identified two priority questions around school non-attendance in autistic students: 1. Why does it happen? and 2. How can schools and families prevent or reduce it? Accordingly, this project consists of two studies: one to identify risks and inform prevention, the other to inform intervention. Study 1 will build upon an existing longitudinal data set, established as part of an Autism CRC funded study, to identify early and concurrent risk factors for school non-attendance in autistic students. Study 2 will use a mixed-methods approach to identify the range and perceived effectiveness of supports and interventions currently used to reduce school non-attendance in autistic students. The outcomes of Study 1 will identify autistic students most at risk for school non-attendance; the outcomes of Study 2 will guide autism-specific interventions and supports. This unique combination will inform a theoretical model of school non-attendance which extends our understanding of both how and why school non-attendance is elevated for autistic students. Critically, this model will identify pathways to school non-attendance, enabling schools, families, and students to appropriately target supports and thereby reduce or prevent school non-attendance.