Covid blamed for rise in NSW school suspensions for young students

Almost 2000 young children were suspended from NSW schools last year, with new data revealing the state’s suspension hotspots.

Almost 2000 students between the ages of five and eight were suspended in NSW last year, with experts blaming the numbers on the long-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Figures from the Education Department, obtained under Freedom of Information, show that, in 2023, 1779 Kindy and Year 2 kids were suspended, with the new data revealing the state’s suspension hotspots.

More than 200 kids were suspended in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie region last year, while Hunter Valley, Central Coast and Illawarra all had more than 100 young students suspended.

Statistics for the eastern suburbs were redacted, meaning less than five students were suspended, and making it the least suspended area of NSW.

Unlike previous years, the Department was unable to provide reasons for the suspensions “due to changes in the reporting policy”.

Almost 2000 students between the ages of five and eight were suspended in NSW last year. File picture

However, The Sunday Telegraph was able to obtain reasons for suspension in previous years. According to available data for 2022, almost three-quarters of suspensions for Kindy to Year 2 students was for aggressive behaviour, followed by continued disobedience and physical violence. The 2022 records show there were 19 instances of weapons-related suspensions.

Psychiatrist Michael Carr-Gregg said that, two years on from the pandemic, we are seeing a rise in anti-social behaviour from children.

“Covid has got a very long tail and I think some of these children had a very disrupted early infancy and I think we are seeing the result of that,” said Dr Carr-Gregg.

“These children have grown up with a diet of violence as entertainment. They’ve observed a lot of aggressive behaviour on TV, in movies. Very little kids will often be aggressive in the process of asserting their independence, and they might struggle with self-control.

“Poor self-control, poor impulse control and self-regulation typically develop in childhood and, if it’s not modified by parents you can get a lot of aggressive behaviours and, obviously, that can spill over into an educational setting, which is very, very difficult.”

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg. Picture: Supplied

Education Minister Prue Car. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

He said that there “is not a psychologist in the world who wouldn’t say Covid was really, really bad for kids”.

“They didn’t learn conflict resolution, anger management, problem-solving, decision making or self-regulation, and now, when they’re in an environment which demands that, they simply don’t have the basis for it,” he said.

It’s prompted the Department to bring on additional behavioural specialists.

Department behavioural specialist leader Jessica Harris said her team has noticed an increase in cries for help from kindergarten teachers.

The specialist team is being called in to teach students simple things such as sitting in a chair and waiting your turn.

Education Minister Prue Car said: “We have introduced a raft of policies focused on lifting student outcomes in a comprehensive way, by enhancing student wellbeing, addressing the teacher shortage and restoring principals’ authority to manage classroom behaviour”.

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Originally published as Covid blamed for rise in NSW school suspensions for young students