School, dispersion and abandonment of classrooms affects 3 million young people: but the understanding of the phenomenon is different between children and adults

ROME – Three million boys and girls dropped out of school in 2018, an alarming figure that prompted theMinotaur Institute to investigate the phenomenon with a detailed investigation. 150 participants were involved including teachers, operators, parents and children in five different Italian regions. The work was carried out within the project Connected Young People selected by With the children and coordinated by National CGM Consortium. The results of the survey were presented during the conference Withdrawn and missing organized by the Brianza Community Consortium and the Minotauro Institute on September 29th

The social withdrawal. The social withdrawal involves the abandonment of the school path and the removal from sociality and occurs above all among adolescents. Friendship relationships, contacts with the outside world and with the family are gradually stripped down to isolation. It is a painful event, and from the search forMinotaur Institute a clear fact emerges: boys and girls are more aware of the phenomenon than adults (teachers, parents) are. And they ask for more space, at school and beyond, to talk about their problems.

The perception of the phenomenon. “A social plague”, a “phenomenon”, a “pathology”, a “choice” – these are the definitions that the children have given to describe social withdrawal. According to some, retirement is something necessary and triggered by objective factors related to work, pregnancy and which therefore necessarily imply not attending school anymore. Others, on the other hand, believe it is a choice linked to needs such as malaise or relational fatigue.

Disappointed by the adults. Boys and girls seem quite disappointed with adults because they care too little about raising children and often “don’t notice their situation”. School can also be considered a cause of withdrawal because it can create turbulent paths for children, or it can be experienced as boring. Finally, social relationships were indicated by the children as a risk factor for withdrawal: attending bad company, but also being the victim of bullying, jokes and insults can lead to expulsion from school.

The opinion of adults. Several parents describe the phenomenon as a transitory phase and a stage of growth, sometimes even positive and necessary to understand one’s place in the world. Others, however, understand the discomfort and do not feel up to the situation. Teachers, on the other hand, identify the problem in the increasingly demanding and competitive type of society. Boys and girls with poor social relationships and with difficult families are more at risk: situations of “abandonment”, “conflict”, “maltreatment”, “socio-economic problems”, “substance abuse” can cause social withdrawal. Following the pandemic and with distance learning, several teachers agree that the number of retirees may increase.

Social spaces. According to the girls and boys interviewed, prevention involves sharing problems. There is a clear need to be able to talk about the phenomenon both in school and out-of-school contexts. Therefore, meeting opportunities, such as sport, community activities and more generally everything that promotes socialization, become important. Adults, on the other hand, seem not to consider these resources as valuable in reducing the risk of withdrawal.