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Artwork for The School Can't Experience

The School Can't Experience

School Can't Australia
School Can't
Mental Health
Autism
Neurodivergence
Education
Neurodiversity
Home Education
Education System
Burnout
ADHD
School Can't Australia
Homeschooling
Parenting
School Attendance
Australia
Advocacy
Emotional Regulation
Parenting Strategies
Inclusive Education
Child Development

For parents and caregivers of young people who struggle to attend school, and related education and health professionals. We share experiences and insights into what is going on for our young people and how we can offer support.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes84Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ParentingEducationKids & Family

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Artwork for The School Can't Experience

Latest Episodes

Nina’s son was a bright, quirky young person who loved rocket science, coding and books. By high school he was having panic attacks every morning, and a ten minute walk to school could take an hour. Then, in Year 11, he was told that if he stayed in ... more

YouTube

At 20, Angelina is studying paramedicine at university and scoring 96% in her exams. A few years ago, she couldn’t get through a school day.

Angelina was a conscientious, high-achieving student until Year 10, when she suddenly found she couldn’t do ... more

YouTube

This episode is a collaboration between School Can't Australia and Yellow Ladybugs made possible through funding from the Information, Linkages and Capacity Building Grant.

This is the second of two special episodes with Yellow Ladybugs, who are ded... more

YouTube

This week we're revisiting our conversation with Jackie Hall, first released as Episode 13. Since we recorded this conversation, Jackie has made her programs available free of charge. That includes a nine week autism parenting program, and Inside Aut... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Katie Koullas
Founder of Yellow Ladybugs, an organization supporting autistic girls, women and gender diverse people
Yellow Ladybugs
Episode: #75 - When Distress Turns Inward: Self-Harm and Suicidal Thoughts, with Yellow Ladybugs' Katie & Natasha
Natasha Staheli
Yellow Ladybugs community member and parent sharing lived experience
Yellow Ladybugs
Episode: #75 - When Distress Turns Inward: Self-Harm and Suicidal Thoughts, with Yellow Ladybugs' Katie & Natasha
Jacqui Hall
Founder of the Parental Stress Center
Parental Stress Center
Episode: Hard Doesn't Mean Wrong: Rethinking Parental Stress with Jackie Hall - Listener Favourite
Raechel Smart
Educator, researcher on autism and school non-attendance
Griffith University Autism Centre of Excellence; autistic education advocate
Episode: #74 - School Can’t is not a Choice with Raechel Smart
Dr. Shelley Moore
Advocate and practitioner for inclusive design for learning
drshellymoore.com
Episode: #73 - Stop Fixing the Kids, Fix the Conditions with Dr Shelley Moore
Kristy Forbes
Educator and advocate focusing on PDA (Persistent Drive for Autonomy / Pathological Demand Avoidance)
Educator and PDA advocate
Episode: #70 - Your PDA Questions Answered with Kristy Forbes
Pete Wharmby
Neurodiversity advocate and former English teacher; author of Different Minds
Author of Different Minds; Neurodiversity advocate
Episode: #69 - Pete Wharmby on How Schools Can Help Our Autistic School Children Thrive
Millie Carr
Educator, Inclusive Education Outreach Coach with lived experience of School Can't
Unmasking Education / Self-employed educator
Episode: #65 - Unmasking Education: What Masking Costs & How to Spot It with Millie Carr
Emma Brooksby
Managing Director at U&I Educational Partners, ADHDer, former school principal
U&I Educational Partners
Episode: Executive Function at School with Emma Brooksby - Listener Favourite

Host

Leisa Reichelt
Host of the show and principal advocate, often guiding conversations with lived-experience guests and educators.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 62 ratings
  • A gift for parents

    Finding this podcast has helped me feel less alone and more supported navigating the constant challenges of school can’t, thank you!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    thegingerone5678
    Australia22 days ago
  • Great resource

    I was hooked on this podcast after listening to just one episode. I am so impressed by Leisa - her knowledge, compassion, and skill as a host; she knows how to draw the full story from her interesting range of guests with both lived experience and expertise in the area. As a parent of a child struggling with school, I can’t wait to listen to all the episodes for much-needed ideas and support.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sunlusu
    United States5 months ago
  • Soooo well done!

    Highly recommend this pod to educators and to families/supporters of neurodivergent kids/teens and any others struggling with school attendance due to its impact on their wellbeing. Really well presented, edited and recorded, lots of lived experiences being centred, but also insights from experts and researchers in the field too. Thanks Aussies!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dawnchor
    New Zealand9 months ago
  • Incredible show!

    Love this show. It’s so validating for parents of school can’t children. Thank you for helping build community and normalise our experience ❤️

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    darwinlistener
    Australiaa year ago
  • Thank you!

    I wish I had this podcast two years ago! Thank you for making me feel less alone on this journey of ‘school can’t’.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rebecca re
    Australiaa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Content is considered a needed resource for educators and parents alike.
The show is praised for being well-produced and validating for families.
Audiences appreciate actionable tips and community-building focus.
Listeners value the host's empathy and ability to draw out both lived experiences and expert insights.
Guests provide real-world perspectives that help families navigate school issues.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#75 - When Distress Turns Inward: Self-Harm and Suicidal Thoughts, with Yellow Ladybugs' Katie & Natasha
Q: If parents are finding themselves in a situation where their child is self-harming or expressing that they don't wanna be living anymore, it can be tempting to, like, try to distract from that and not get into the conversation. Why is it so important that we start having these conversations with our kids?
Katie and Natasha describe open, nonjudgmental communication as a protective factor. They recommend responding rather than reacting, believing the young person, and creating a safe way for them to share what they are experiencing.
#75 - When Distress Turns Inward: Self-Harm and Suicidal Thoughts, with Yellow Ladybugs' Katie & Natasha
Q: Why do you think it is that we don't feel okay talking about the experiences that we're having in our families with self-harm and suicidality?
Katie says families may stay silent because of shame, fear of judgment or blame, cultural expectations of privacy, and concern that others will not believe them, especially when a young person appears fine outside the home.
#76 - From School Can’t to Paramedicine: Angelina’s Student Voice Story
Q: What would you want to say to kids who are in that same situation right now that you were in back at school?
She would tell them not to be hard on themselves, that their struggles are not their fault, and that there are alternative routes to their goals without an ATAR or completing high school.
#76 - From School Can’t to Paramedicine: Angelina’s Student Voice Story
Q: Do you have any understanding now of what was going on and what was causing that?
Angelina says she still does not know the cause. Psychologists have not given her a diagnosis, and the difficulty continues to a lesser extent outside school.
Hard Doesn't Mean Wrong: Rethinking Parental Stress with Jackie Hall - Listener Favourite
Q: Can you share how your own journey informed the four stressful thinking lenses and the upgrades?
Jacqui describes that the lenses (right/wrong, missing out, should/could have) shape beliefs about self and life; upgrades are strategies to broaden perspective and reframe experiences so they are manageable and meaningful, even when outcomes are uncertain.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About The School Can't Experience

What is The School Can't Experience about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on families and professionals navigating school attendance challenges, especially for neurodivergent students. Conversations blend lived experiences with expert guidance on executive function, burnout, attendance planning, and creating supportive learning environments. Episodes often feature parents, clinicians, educators, and community advocates sharing practical strategies, resources, and reforms needed to foster belonging, safety, and flexible education pathways. Notably, the program emphasizes compassionate, strengths-based approaches, avoiding blame, and foregrounding student wellbeing and agency. It's likely to appeal to listeners seeking actionable advice, validation, and community around school refusal, PDA, and rel... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The School Can't Experience?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The School Can't Experience:

1. ADHD Mums
2. Pop Culture Parenting
3. The Imperfects
4. Humans, being. with Lael Stone
5. Ladies, We Need To Talk

How many episodes of The School Can't Experience are there?

The School Can't Experience launched 2 years ago and published 84 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The School Can't Experience?

Recent guests on The School Can't Experience include:

1. Katie Koullas
2. Natasha Staheli
3. Jacqui Hall
4. Raechel Smart
5. Dr. Shelley Moore
6. Kristy Forbes
7. Pete Wharmby
8. Millie Carr

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