EBSA
🏫 Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) 🏫
Some children and young people find it very difficult to attend school because of anxiety or emotional distress. This is known as EBSA – Emotionally Based School Avoidance. It is not the same as truancy; children with EBSA want to attend school but feel unable to because of overwhelming feelings.
✨ Signs of EBSA may include:
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😟 Frequent worries about going to school
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🤒 Complaints of tummy aches, headaches, or feeling unwell in the mornings
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😢 Tearfulness, refusal, or panic before school
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🚪 Struggling to separate from family at the school gate
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💤 Tiredness due to poor sleep linked to worry
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📉 Falling behind in learning or avoiding schoolwork
👩🏫 How we support in school:
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Working closely with families to understand your child’s worries 🤝
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Offering a gentle, supportive plan for returning to school step-by-step 🪜
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Providing a safe space in school where your child can calm down 🌿
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Using strategies such as worry boxes, visual timetables 📅, and regular check-ins
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Building positive relationships so your child feels safe and valued ❤️
🏡 How you can help at home:
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Keep calm routines in the mornings ⏰
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Listen to your child’s worries and reassure them 🗣️
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Encourage small, achievable steps back into school (e.g., visiting the playground after school hours first) 👣
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Praise every success, however small 🌟
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Stay in close contact with school so we can work together 📞
📘 Useful resources:
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Young Minds – School anxiety and refusal
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Anna Freud Centre – EBSA resources
🤝 We’re here for you too
If your child is struggling with EBSA, please talk to their class teacher or our Inclusion Leader, Mrs Butcher. Together, we will work with you to create a plan that helps your child feel supported, safe, and able to return to learning.