The School Can't Experience

In the first episode of the 2026 School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt discusses the challenges 'School Can't,' with the Directors of School Can't Australia, Tiffany Westphal and Louise Rogers and discuss some of the content of the new ebook, Understanding School Can’t published by School Can’t Australia in January.

Download a copy of the Understanding School Can’t ebook here: https://www.scho...

You're invited to attend the virtual launch of School Can't Australia's new ebook. 

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/resource-launch-understanding-school-can-t-a-guide-for-parents-and-carers

Please help us plan content for next years episodes - send your feedback and ideas to schoolcantpodcast@gmail.com or send us a text.

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Welcome to the School Can't Experience Podcast hosted by Leisa Reichelt. In this episode, Wendy, a high school teacher and foster parent, shares her story of caring for her foster son Jax, who has struggled with school attendance for several years.

Wendy shares the various challenges they have faced with the education system, their experiences with foster care, and their journey towards finding an appropriate learning environme...

In this episode, host Leisa Reichelt is joined by Tanya Valentin, a neuro-affirming family coach from New Zealand. 

Tanya shares her journey of discovering her neurodivergence and her family's experiences with school burnout and autism. They discuss the challenges, grief, and shame faced by parents, and the transformative power of finding new paths to education and parenting. 

Tanya also talks about the resources and support ava...

In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt is joined by Pavlina McMaster, Coordinator at the Home Education Network to shed light on some common myths about Home Education, including: 

• Myth #1:Home Education is a last resort
• Myth #2: I have to work so don’t have time to Home Educate
• Myth #3: I’m not smart/educated enough to teach my kids
• Myth #4: Home Education restricts our kids future opportu...

In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt speaks with Kate Broderick, a dual qualified speech therapist and occupational therapist, about the transition from behaviorism to a relationship-based approach in education. 

Kate shares her personal journey as a parent of neurodivergent children and discusses the importance of building trust-based relationships to create safer and more inclusive learn...

In this episode Melisa and her son Jamie to share their inspiring story with host, Leisa Reichelt. Jamie, who struggled with conventional schooling due to autism and other challenges, found an unconventional but successful educational pathway.

Despite difficulties including bullying, sensory challenges and a lack of support in school, Jamie flourished through home education, ultimately enrolling in university at a young age and rece...

In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, hosted by Leisa Reichelt, we discuss the best strategies for preparing children for school transitions. 

As the school year ends, many parents are concerned about how to set their children up for success in the next academic year, especially when transitioning between primary and high school. 

Guests Tiffany Westphal from School Can't Australia and Louise White, who re...

In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt is joined by Pavlina McMaster and Heidi Ryan from the Home Education Network (HEN) to discuss the challenges and benefits of home education for neurodivergent children & young people.

Pavlina and Heidi share their personal experiences, highlighting how home education caters to the unique needs of these children, fosters motivation, and supports ment...

In this episode, host Leisa Reichelt speaks with Hugh Viney, CEO of Minerva Virtual Academy (MVA), the UK’s fastest growing school that specifically caters to kids whose needs are not met by the mainstream school system.

MVA's unique model centers on a 'happiness first' ethos, providing a blend of self-directed online learning, live lessons, mentoring, and community activities. Hugh explains how MVA caters to diverse ...

In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt is joined by Esther Jones, a UK-based parent and unschooling advocate and author of The Parent's Handbook to Unschooling Yourself. 

Esther shares her personal journey of unschooling her three children and the principles behind the philosophy. We explore how parents can inadvertently present the biggest challenges to unschooling success,  the import...

Em Hammond of Neurowild joins us for this special episode. Em, a speech therapist and illustrator, emphasizes the importance of understanding and supporting neurodivergent children, particularly in educational settings. 

We talk through Em’s resource called ‘Reasons Why Autistic Kids May Not Be OK With ‘Having a Go’ and why this request can be ableist, dismissive of our kids experience and ultimately traumatising. Em highlights the ...

Happy school holidays (in Australia) to all who celebrate. As a holiday special we are revisiting this popular episode, an interview with clinical psychologist Monique Mitchelson.

We explore the often misunderstood concept of resilience, especially for our neurodivergent young people.

Monique, who is autistic and ADHD herself, shares her journey and highlights the challenges and necessary shifts in education systems to support neurod...

In this episode host Leisa Reichelt is joined by Dr Kara Johns to discuss the crucial role that General Practitioners (GPs) can play in supporting families struggling with School Can’t.

Dr. Johns, a GP from South Australia, shares her personal and professional insights on handling School Can't situations. They explore the importance of building strong GP-family relationships, navigating the Australian health system, and the Med...

In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt discusses the recent Australian Network for School Attendance Conference with Tiffany Westphal and Louise Rogers from School Can't Australia. 

They share valuable insights and highlights from the event, discussing various topics such as the impact of stressors on student attendance, the importance of lived experience in shaping policies, and the co...

In our first parent/young person duet episode, Simone and her teenager Yani share their journey through years of school struggles, home education, and eventually finding a path forward that works. Together, they talk openly about the challenges of separation anxiety, dyslexia, School Can’t, and the toll it takes on both parent and child.

What shines through is their honesty, resilience, and the strength of their relationship as they...

In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt speaks with Symone Wheatley-Hey, an advocate for neurodivergent voices in education. 

Symone shares her personal journey of navigating 'School Can't' as a sole parent to two neurodivergent children. The discussion covers Symone's experiences with home education, the impact of PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) on schooling, and the ...

Returning guest Dr. Naomi Fisher joins host Leisa Reichelt and School Can’t Australia’s Tiffany Westphal and returning guest Dr. Naomi Fisher to deep dive into the pressing issue of parental burnout. 

Dr. Fisher, Clinical Psychologist and expert in supporting parents with burned out School Can’t kids, provides valuable insights into recognizing, understanding, and combating burnout among parents and carers. 

You’ll get practical tips...

In this episode, you’ll meet Diana, a mother of two young people with School Can’t experiences. Diana joins host Leisa Reichelt to candidly share her experiences supporting her son James through his struggles with mainstream schooling.

From early signs like separation anxiety and hating birthday parties and swimming lessons, to the challenges of advocating for access to Distance Education including supports for undertaking the Highe...