ABSTRACT
Many children and teenagers in this position also feel impotent and helpless when they try and fail to mend their broken parent. They may be unable to focus on schoolwork as they are so worried about their parent. In some cases, school refusal is about wanting to stay at home because they are too anxious about what will happen to their Mum or Dad if they are not there to look after them:
‘I used to stay off [school] tae make sure my Ma did nae get drugs and all that… ’cause I hate it… I’d follow her and not let her doe it… like I would make sure she stayed in the house with me.’ (Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, 2003).
