When Megan Gilmour's son was 10 years old, he spent nearly two years in isolation at the Sydney Children’s Hospital. The months he missed at school didn't just affect him academically.

Megan, her daughter and her husband all relocated from Canberra to be with Darcy in Sydney as he underwent life-saving medical treatment, and lived at hospital.

Over his many months in hospital, Darcy missed a lot of school.

What worried Megan wasn’t just that he was falling behind academically, it was his loneliness and the way he was losing connection to his friends and his community.

Over time Megan watched how Darcy’s sense of belonging vanished because he wasn’t physically at school.

So along with two other mums she met through the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Megan decided to do something about it.

Not just for the kids who are missing out of school because they are in hospital, but for the growing number of kids who are away from school for a whole host of reasons.

Megan is the CEO and co-founder of Missing School, and she was the 2025 ACT Australian of the Year.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.

It explores chronic illness, sick kids, school non attendance, school refusal, my kid doesn't want to go to school, young carers, neurodiverse children, autism, ADHD, AuDHD, learning difficulties, childhood cancer, blood disorders, lonely children, invisible siblings, parenting, motherhood, online learning, COVID, digital schooling, bone marrow transplant.

To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Loneliness, isolation and falling behind—What happens to kids when they can't go to school?

Conversations

Loneliness, isolation and falling behind—What happens to kids when they can't go to school?