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Declining regular school attendance has been the focus of a lot of political debate here, and in term one last year only 46 percent of students reached the benchmark for regular attendance. It's also a hot topic across the Tasman where a Senate inquiry is looking into the problem in Australian schools.
Michael Hawton is an Australian registered psychologist, a former school teacher and the founder of Parentshop which is a resource hub for parents, educators and child family specialists. He says school leaders report that student anxiety is a most significant concern and it is having an impact on them staying away from school.
