EBSA Support Pack
What is EBSA?
Schools are increasingly supporting children and young people who experience Emotionally Based School Avoidance, or EBSA. EBSA occurs when attendance difficulties are primarily driven by emotional distress associated with school. While every child's experience is different, difficulties often develop gradually and can worsen if support is delayed.
Some professionals prefer to use terms such as "emotionally based school non-attendance" or "children who are currently unable to attend school", as this encourages us to move away from blame-based language. It also recognises that school non-attendance can be influenced by a range of factors, and may not always be driven solely by anxiety.
Understanding the signs
By understanding the signs of EBSA, you can learn to recognise when a child or young person may be struggling and take positive steps to support them.
EBSA vs Truancy
Although both EBSA and truancy can result in reduced school attendance, the underlying causes are very different.
• Attendance difficulties are driven by emotional distress
• The child often wants to attend school but feels unable to do so
• Anxiety, fear, overwhelm, or emotional difficulties are significant factors
• Parents and carers are typically aware of the absence and are often actively seeking support
• Pupils may feel guilt, frustration, or distress about missing school
• Absence is generally not primarily driven by emotional distress relating to school attendance
• The young person chooses not to attend school without parental knowledge or permission
• The pupil may conceal absences from adults
• Motivations can vary and may include peer influence, disengagement, or avoidance of consequences
• Interventions often focus on attendance monitoring and engagement
Influencing factors
Every learner's experience of EBSA is different. Taking time to understand the factors influencing school avoidance enables you to provide personalised support that is relevant, effective, and focused on positive outcomes.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a key feature of EBSA. While some anxiety is a normal part of childhood and adolescence, some children and young people experience anxiety that is more intense and persistent. This can affect their well-being, daily functioning, and ability to attend and engage in school.
Recognising EBSA
Recognising EBSA early can significantly affect a child or young person's well-being and educational outcomes. By identifying concerns as early as possible, you and your team can put the right support in place sooner, helping reduce anxiety, build resilience, and prevent challenges from escalating.
See it sooner
Recognising the signs of EBSA at an early stage can make a significant difference to a young person's wellbeing, attendance and educational outcomes.
In this video, Elaine Moyers, our Behaviour and Inclusion Director, shares early signs that a child or young person might be struggling with EBSA and why early identification matters.
Emotional, physical and behavioural signs
Anxiety
Emotional overwhelm
Excessive worry
Heightened sensitivity
Irritability
Low mood
Tearfulness
Fatigue
Headaches
Increased heart rate
Nausea
Physical complaints which worsen before school
Sleep difficulties
Stomach aches
Avoidance behaviours
Frequent absences
Increased reliance on parents/carers
Lateness
Reduced classroom engagement
Refusal to leave home
Seeking reassurance repeatedly
Withdrawal from activities
The pull and push of EBSA
EBSA is more likely to occur when a child's risk factors outweigh their protective factors, and the ‘pull’ factors drawing them towards the safety of home become stronger than the ‘push’ factors encouraging school attendance. Understanding these factors can help you to identify barriers to attendance and strengthen the supports that promote engagement and well-being.
Assessment and planning
Effective support for learners experiencing EBSA begins with a thorough assessment of their individual needs and circumstances.
The power of listening
In this video, Elaine explains why listening to children and validating their feelings is key to understanding the reasons behind school avoidance and identifying the right support.
What's driving it?
Identifying and understanding the factors behind school avoidance enables you and your school to provide targeted support that helps pupils gradually re-engage with education.
Understanding persistent barriers
While the causes of EBSA are often complex, some factors can unintentionally reinforce school avoidance over time. These factors are not the cause of the difficulty, but they can make it harder for a child or young person to re-engage with education.
Developing individualised support plan
An individualised support plan can help provide a clear, consistent approach to supporting learners experiencing EBSA. By recognising the child or young person's unique needs, experiences, and strengths, a personalised plan helps ensure support is meaningful, appropriate, and targeted.
Classroom and whole school support
A supportive school environment plays a vital role in helping children experiencing EBSA feel safe, valued and able to engage with education.
Support from the wider team
While individual support is important, the wider classroom and school culture can have a significant impact on confidence and wellbeing.
Good practice guide
With the right support, learners experiencing EBSA can successfully reconnect with school. This guide highlights practical strategies to help children and young people feel understood, supported and confident.
Supporting attendance and reintegration
Every young person's experience of EBSA is unique, which means their return to education should be too. A personalised approach that reflects their individual needs, circumstances and challenges can help create the foundations for a successful reintegration.
Working in partnership
Agree shared goals
Avoid blame
Celebrate small improvements
Communicate regularly
Listen first
Use consistent language
Multi-agency collaboration
The SENCO plays a key role in coordinating support for pupils experiencing EBSA. They help identify barriers to attendance, assess additional needs, and ensure appropriate interventions are put in place. By working closely with staff, families and external agencies, the SENCO can help develop personalised support plans that promote engagement, wellbeing and successful participation in school life.
Pastoral staff are often central to a pupil's day-to-day support. They build trusted relationships, provide emotional support, and help pupils navigate challenges that may be contributing to school avoidance. Pastoral Teams provide regular check-ins, collaborative problem-solving and ongoing communication with families to help pupils feel safe, understood and connected to school.
Educational Psychologists provide specialist insight into the emotional, psychological and environmental factors that may be contributing to EBSA. Through consultation, assessment and collaborative planning, they help schools to understand pupil's needs and identify effective strategies to reduce barriers, strengthen resilience and support successful school engagement.
CAMHS can support pupils whose school attendance is affected by mental health difficulties such as anxiety, depression or trauma. They provide assessment, therapeutic intervention and specialist advice to help pupils manage their emotional wellbeing. CAMHS may also work alongside schools and families to ensure support is consistent across all environments.
School nurses can support pupils experiencing EBSA by considering the impact of physical health, emotional wellbeing and developmental needs on attendance. They can provide health advice, signpost to appropriate services, and work with families and schools to address any health-related barriers that may be affecting a pupil's ability to attend school.
Attendance teams play an important role in monitoring attendance patterns, identifying concerns early and coordinating support when difficulties emerge. Rather than focusing solely on attendance figures, they can help explore the underlying reasons for absence, work collaboratively with families and professionals, and contribute to graduated, supportive approaches that promote sustainable attendance.
Where there are concerns about a pupil's welfare, safety or family circumstances, social care may become involved to provide additional support and protection. Social workers can help families access practical resources, coordinate multi-agency support and ensure that wider challenges affecting school attendance are addressed. Their involvement can be particularly important when complex or significant vulnerabilities are contributing to EBSA.