Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA) Support

Rebuilding Confidence. Reducing Anxiety. Helping Young People Re-engage with Education.

Is your child struggling to attend school due to anxiety, emotional distress or overwhelming feelings about education?

Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA), sometimes referred to as school anxiety or emotionally based non-attendance, can have a significant impact on a young person’s wellbeing, confidence, relationships and educational progress.

Our EBSA Support Service helps children, young people and families understand the underlying causes of school avoidance and develop practical strategies to support a successful return to education and improved emotional wellbeing.

Working collaboratively with families, schools and other professionals, we provide personalised support that focuses on reducing anxiety, increasing confidence and creating sustainable solutions.

Who Is This Service For?

Our EBSA Support Service is suitable for:

• Children and young people experiencing anxiety related to school attendance
• Pupils who frequently miss school due to emotional distress
• Young people struggling with transitions between schools or key educational stages
• Children experiencing friendship, social or relationship difficulties
• Neurodivergent learners, including autistic young people and those with ADHD, dyslexia or other learning differences
• Pupils experiencing low confidence, low mood or heightened anxiety
• Families seeking support to understand and address school avoidance
• Schools looking to develop effective intervention strategies

Whether attendance difficulties are recent or have developed over time, early support can help prevent patterns from becoming entrenched.

What is EBSA Support?

Our EBSA Support Service provides a structured, compassionate and personalised approach to understanding and addressing emotionally based barriers to school attendance.

We work with young people to identify the factors contributing to school avoidance while helping them develop coping strategies, emotional resilience and confidence.

Support may involve direct work with the young person, consultation with parents and collaboration with schools to ensure a joined-up approach.

Why Access EBSA Support?

School avoidance is rarely about unwillingness to learn. More often, it reflects underlying anxiety, stress or emotional difficulties.

Our EBSA support helps young people:

• Understand and manage feelings of anxiety
• Build confidence and emotional resilience
• Develop coping and self-regulation strategies
• Re-engage positively with learning
• Improve attendance and participation
• Strengthen relationships and communication
• Reduce stress for both the young person and their family
• Build a sustainable pathway back into education

We focus on understanding the whole child, not just the attendance concern.

What Does EBSA Support Cover?

Support is tailored to individual needs and may include:

• Exploration of school-related anxiety and concerns
• Identification of triggers and barriers to attendance
• Confidence-building interventions
• Emotional regulation strategies
• Coping skills and resilience development
• Goal setting and gradual reintegration planning
• Support with transitions and change
• Parent and family guidance
• Liaison with schools and educational settings
• Development of practical attendance support plans

Every programme is personalised to the young person’s needs, circumstances and goals. An Example 6 week EBSA Support programme could look like:

Week 1: Feeling safe and getting started Building trust, reducing anxiety, and helping pupils feel understood through emotional check-ins and strengths-based activities. 

Week 2: Thoughts, feelings and actions Helping pupils understand how thoughts, emotions and behaviours are connected through structured reflection and real-life scenarios. 

Week 3: Growth mindset and self-belief Developing resilience and confidence through reframing unhelpful thoughts and building more positive self-talk. 

Week 4: Coping toolbox Introducing practical emotional regulation strategies including grounding, breathing techniques, and personalised coping tools. 

Week 5: Small steps and being brave Supporting gradual re-engagement through realistic goal setting and manageable next steps. 

Week 6: Looking back and moving forward Reflecting on progress, recognising strengths, and creating a clear plan for continued engagement with learning. 

All sessions are structured to reduce pressure and support gradual engagement, rather than forcing immediate attendance change.

What Are The Benefits?

For Young People

• Reduced anxiety surrounding school attendance
• Improved confidence and self-esteem
• Better emotional wellbeing
• Increased engagement with education
• Improved relationships and communication
• Enhanced coping and resilience skills
• Greater sense of control and independence

For Parents and Families

• Better understanding of the causes of school avoidance
• Practical strategies for supporting their child
• Reduced stress and family conflict
• Increased confidence in managing attendance challenges
• Improved communication between home and school

For Schools

• Improved attendance and engagement
• Better understanding of learner needs
• Clear recommendations and intervention strategies
• Stronger collaboration with families
• Enhanced support planning

What Will You Receive?

Individualised Support Plan

A tailored programme designed around the young person’s unique circumstances and needs.

One-to-One Support Sessions

Dedicated sessions focused on building confidence, reducing anxiety and developing effective strategies.

Parent Guidance and Support

Practical advice and recommendations to help families support positive change.

School Collaboration

Where appropriate, liaison with educational settings to support successful reintegration and ongoing engagement.

Clear Recommendations

Actionable strategies that can be implemented at home and within school settings.

Ready to Help Your Child Re-engage with Education?

School avoidance can feel overwhelming for young people and families, but support is available.

The earlier difficulties are identified and addressed, the greater the opportunity to rebuild confidence, reduce anxiety and create positive educational outcomes.

To explore how this programme could support your setting, submit an enquiry using the form below. 

For further context on EBSA and attendance challenges, see guidance from: https://www.nasen.org.uk/