How can schools address emotionally based school avoidance?

Some pupils experience severe difficulty attending school due to emotional factors, often resulting in prolonged periods of absence. This is referred to as Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).

It’s not the same as truancy, poor attendance, or school refusal. Missing chunks of school can exacerbate a pupil's anxiety about attending school even further, causing them additional distress.

Pupil attendance is a hot topic right now. Since COVID, the number of children absent from school more than 50 percent of the time has doubled, and Emotionally Based School Avoidance, or EBSA, is presenting a significant challenge for leaders and teachers nationally.

Whilst for pupils the loss of learning can harm their educational prospects, as well as their mental and emotional health.

So, how can schools tackle EBSA and help students overcome anxiety and return to regular education?

What can cause EBSA?

EBSA is not a choice a student makes, but a reflection of the deep emotional distress and anxiety they experience about attending school. There are likely to be many risk factors that contribute to severe attendance difficulties, some of which originate at home and others that are linked specifically to school.

Triggers of EBSA include, but are not limited to:

• Bullying
• Finding a subject hard
• Experiencing a difficult journey to school
• Challenging family circumstances
• Strained relationships with staff

This interplay of personal, domestic, and educational issues can result in some children feeling so anxious that they find it impossible to attend school.

The earlier you can spot signs of EBSA the better the chance of re-integrating the pupil into school. If you're worried about a pupil talk to them to find out what might be making them anxious or act out, so you can put targeted interventions in place.

How can EBSA affect pupils?

The impact on children and young people who experience EBSA can be extremely damaging to their educational prospects, as well as their mental and emotional health.

As EBSA becomes more deeply entrenched, and a student spends more and more time at home, the thought of ever returning to school begins to feel overwhelming.

Over time, anxiety increases around the impact of missed learning and separation from friends, and the cycle of school avoidance becomes harder and harder to break.

What can schools do to tackle EBSA?

There is no silver bullet to solve the issue of EBSA. The root causes of EBSA are complex and identifying and addressing them requires a patient, forensic approach.

Every school, family and child is different, so it is important that schools adopt the strategies that they feel would work best for them and their students.

Steps to take include:

1. Draw up a 'return-to-school' plan
   
   Coming back to school after a prolonged absence can feel incredibly daunting to a young person. Talk to the student about their thoughts and feelings and explore their concerns about returning to school. Are they worried about friendships or academic pressure? Or is it something else entirely?
   
   It is important not to make any assumptions or pre-judgements about the underlying reasons for a student's anxiety. By asking incisive questions, actively listening to their responses, and understanding their perspective, you can use the information to design a bespoke return-to-school plan.
   
   
2. Be flexible
   
   It may be that, initially, a student feels unable to return to school full time. Explore ways to help them gradually build up their attendance by arriving later or earlier to avoid busy times, or by coming in just for the morning or the afternoon.
   
   Provide a 'soft landing' by allowing a student to head straight to a quiet room when they arrive at school. There, they can start the day talking to and working with a familiar adult, whether that is a teacher, support assistant or other trusted individual with whom the child has a good rapport. 
   
   You can then gradually build their resilience by encouraging them to join a small group or starting the day with a different subject.
   
   
3. Build strong home / school links
   
   EBSA can affect entire families, and parents and carers often need support to help their child overcome anxiety about attending school. Forging strong home / school links can help schools and families work together in a joined-up, seamless way. 
   
   Some families may be harder to reach than others, so you may need to be creative with your approach. Consider building relationships with parents through workshops, information evenings and informal drop-ins. 
   
   If parents are struggling to come into school, it can be helpful to explore ways to get out into the community and engage with them beyond the school gates.

Action plans for students experiencing EBSA

Many of the strategies for addressing EBSA are applicable across both primary and secondary settings.

Whether you are working with a Y5 child who has low attendance and struggles with classroom routines, or an older teenager whose transition to secondary school was interrupted by COVID and who finds the environment overwhelming, a similar approach can be effective:

• Talk to them about their specific worries or concerns
• Create a 'return-to-school' plan in collaboration with the family and review it regularly
• Provide flexible, soft landings on days in school. This might be giving them space when they first arrive so they can adjust to being in class
• Build their resilience through a gradual, staggered approach

For more tips on the best ways to tackle EBSA in your school, download our free How to Tackle Student Anxiety guide.