Wrapping a Student in Care

This chapter examines the case of Alejandro, a student whose disengagement from his school community stemmed from the sudden deportation of his father and the resulting anxiety that his mother might also be deported. His anxiety contributed to the development of school avoidance, characterized by chronic absenteeism and truancy. The chapter defines and differentiates chronic absenteeism, truancy, and school avoidance, while also exploring their underlying psychological and functional mechanisms. Co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder are discussed through the lens of DSM-5 diagnostic criteria to contextualize a student’s emotional and behavioral challenges. Finally, the chapter highlights targeted interventions grounded in a psychodynamic framework emphasizing wraparound service provision and behavioral assessments aiming to foster emotional safety toward helping school-avoidant students reintegrate and return to their school communities.