Alternative Suspension a Lifeline for Mum Kylie
At the Y NSW, we believe every young person deserves the support they need to thrive. Too often, school suspensions leave young people feeling isolated and unwanted, causing them to fall behind academically and reinforcing negative behaviour cycles.
Kylie, a single mum of two neurodivergent children including 15-year-old Timothy*, has witnessed firsthand just how vital our Alternative Suspension program can be in providing young people experiencing disadvantage with the support they need.
After facing bullying in Year 7, Timothy fell in with the wrong crowd. Although he was academically gifted in maths, he became increasingly disengaged from school. As he dropped further behind in his studies, he began to see suspension as a reward for staying home. According to Kylie, Timothy’s previous suspensions had done nothing to help him or change his behaviour and left her son feeling further disconnected from school.
"For each suspension it became more difficult to ensure schoolwork was done, and it became increasingly more like a break from school," said Kylie.
From Year 8 to early Year 9, Timothy received nine suspensions for offensive comments and jokes, persistent disobedience and other disruptive behaviours linked to impulsivity and emotional dysregulation. With each suspension, he fell further behind academically and socially, which started to take a toll on his self-worth.
"The suspensions and disengagement resulted in a loss of education for our son and gave him the feeling that he was a 'bad' kid," explained Kylie.
Our innovative Alternative Suspension program aims to address concerns like these by addressing the underlying issues and redefining the future for young people facing suspension. Rather than sending students home, our program provides young people with a structured, supportive environment that equips them with new strategies to manage emotions and behaviours, supported in a safe environment by our experienced youth support workers.
For Kylie, the program has been an invaluable lifeline. As a single parent working full-time, she found it difficult to take time off whenever her son was suspended.
“Knowing there’s a place he can go where he’s supported all day is such a relief and a huge benefit in itself,” said Kylie.
Our team of the Y NSW youth and social workers maintain open communication with student families and referring schools who are involved in the program. This close contact helps to ensure students like Timothy transition back into the classroom smoothly and are equipped with new tools for handling frustration and conflict.
"All kids want to do well, some just need more support and extra learning," continued Kylie.
"The beauty of the Y’s program is the small groups of five or six students. It allowed him to get the focused attention he needs in a space where he can work on his emotional regulation and self-management skills,” she added.
Our youth and social workers' guidance also helped Timothy realise that people genuinely care about his wellbeing. By feeling understood and valued, he began to build the resilience needed to thrive in a school environment.
“The Alternative Suspension program offered him tools to manage his emotions and strategies for emotional regulation and just as importantly, for the first time he felt that people outside of school genuinely cared and understood him.”
“He even managed to get through the entire last semester without a suspension, which was an incredible achievement for him,” she explained.
Louisa McKay, Executive Leader Purpose and Impact said, “Our mission at the Y NSW is to ensure no young person feels isolated or unheard. We see the immense potential in every individual, regardless of whether they see it in themselves.”
By offering an alternative to suspension, we’re respecting every student's right to an education, supporting their families and investing in the future of our communities.
For Kylie and Timothy, this means a renewed sense of hope and the understanding that, with the right kind of support, every young person can succeed.
In late 2024, the Y NSW announced a significant expansion of the Alternative Suspension Program, made possible by generous partnerships with the Eureka Benevolent Foundation, St. George Foundation, Department of Social Services, Matana Foundation for Young People, and the Kimberley Foundation. This support allows the program to continue its impactful work in 2025 across Western Sydney and on the Central Coast for the next three years, while also extending vital assistance to more young people in Camden and regional Broken Hill in NSW.
To learn more about our Alternative Suspension program click here.
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