Purpose
This survey is to gather information from people with lived experience of these challenges, including students, parents, caregivers, and family members.
The survey is also designed to understand barriers that contribute to school attendance challenges, such as the following barriers:
- disability-related unmet needs and lack of accommodation
- exclusion from learning, participation, and belonging
- school practices that may undermine human rights
- gaps in early identification, intervention, and coordinated support
Introduction
Youth Mental Health Canada is conducting this survey to understand the human rights, disability, inclusion, and educational barriers experienced by students with attendance challenges.
For this survey, school attendance challenges may include chronic absenteeism, school avoidance, disrupted attendance, partial attendance, frequent lateness, or difficulty remaining at school for the full day.
We are especially interested in understanding how attendance challenges may be connected to:
- disability and neurodivergence
- mental health and trauma
- unmet support needs
- exclusion, stigma, or discrimination
- lack of accommodation
- weak coordination of support
- barriers to inclusive and meaningful learning
Consent and privacy:
Participation is voluntary. You may skip any question and stop the survey at any time. Please do not include names of students, schools, staff members, school boards, or specific locations in your responses. YMHC will use survey findings to inform advocacy, education, resource development, training, and public reports. Any quotes used publicly will be anonymized. This survey is not a crisis, counselling, legal, or advocacy service.
Note:
We acknowledge that challenges like these can be a deeply distressing experience for students
and families. Some questions in this survey cover sensitive topics, including trauma,
discrimination, and segregation. If you need support, please see our national resources listed on the website at www.ymhc.ngo.
You can also contact 988 by phone, text, or chat.
This survey will take approximately 15 – 20 minutes.
For student respondents:
If you are a student and any question feels upsetting, you may stop at any time. Younger students may want to complete this survey with support from a parent, caregiver, or trusted adult. This survey is not meant to replace support from a trusted adult, mental health professional, school staff member, or crisis service.