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Do you want to help a child overcome EBSA?
Discover our practical strategies for parents and educators to support children with Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).
Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) happens when children have a hard time going to school because they feel emotionally overwhelmed. This might look like skipping school often, struggling to leave home in the morning, or feeling rather anxious about anything to do with school. When this happens, it doesn’t just affect learning. Children might miss out on making friends, and it can make them feel more anxious or even sad over time.
There is an increase in children experiencing EBSA. Adjusting back to school after lockdowns or rising mental health struggles in young people add to this. The pandemic made it especially tough for many students by keeping them at home for so long, making going back to school a scarier thought.
Understanding EBSA and working on solutions is really important. When children feel supported, they can start to thrive—not just in school but in building friendships and feeling better about themselves overall.
Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) means a child has trouble going to school because they feel anxious, scared, or overwhelmed, not because they are being defiant or refusing for no reason. It’s different from truancy, which is skipping school without a valid reason or parental knowledge. Instead, EBSA is rooted in deep emotional distress, often triggered by things like academic stress, social struggles, bullying, or even a past traumatic experience.
Children with EBSA may show signs such as physical complaints like stomach aches, headaches, or nausea. These symptoms often appear as a way to express their anxiety. Other behaviours include refusing to leave home, taking a long time to get ready in the mornings, or becoming very upset as it gets closer to school time. Spotting these signs early is important so that the child can receive the support they need to manage their emotions and feel more comfortable in attending school.
The number of children avoiding school for emotional reasons, known as Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), has grown significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Before 2020, school absence rates in England were about 4–5%. By the 2021/22 academic year, this figure increased to 7.6%. Persistent absenteeism (missing over 10% of school sessions) doubled to 22.5%, and severe absenteeism (missing more than half of all sessions) rose from 1% to 1.7%. Globally, UNESCO reported that 10.9 million students in primary and secondary schools were at risk of not returning after the pandemic, showcasing the scale of the problem worldwide.
In England, EBSA has become one of the leading reasons for rising school absences. Anxiety plays a role in around 80% of these cases. The pandemic amplified the factors that contribute to EBSA, such as social isolation, disrupted routines, and limited access to mental health services. It also created new challenges, including higher family stress levels and increased academic pressures.
If not addressed, Emotional-Based School Avoidance (EBSA) can have serious and lasting effects on a child’s life. Here are the key areas where EBSA impacts children:
Frequent absences can cause students to fall behind in key subjects like reading and maths. For example, only 50% of persistently absent pupils in England meet expected standards, compared to 71% of their regularly attending peers. This academic gap may limit future education and career options.
Missing school reduces opportunities to build friendships and socialise with peers. This can lead to feelings of isolation and make it harder for children to develop important interpersonal skills they’ll need as adults.
EBSA is often linked with anxiety and depression. Avoiding school can worsen these conditions, creating a cycle that’s hard to escape. Some cases have even been connected to thoughts of self-harm or long-term mental health problems in adulthood.
Poor academic performance, coupled with underdeveloped social skills, can reduce employment opportunities in adulthood. Those with a history of school avoidance are also more likely to face long-term financial difficulties.
Addressing EBSA early is crucial to reduce these risks. Solutions often include mental health support, family involvement, and personalised strategies to help children re-engage with school and thrive academically and socially.
EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance) can stem from challenges within a child themselves. For instance, anxiety disorders like generalised anxiety or separation anxiety make school feel overwhelming, leading to patterns of avoidance. Negative past experiences, such as bullying or ongoing academic struggles, can also create lasting emotional effects that heighten fears about school.
External pressures can also significantly contribute to EBSA. For some children, intense academic expectations or shifting between schools can bring heightened stress and uncertainty. Changes at home, such as family illness, separation, or loss, can disrupt a child’s sense of stability, increasing their reluctance to attend school.
EBSA often involves an overlap of both internal and external factors. For instance, a child with low self-esteem might struggle in a school environment that feels unaccommodating or rigid. These overlapping challenges create a cycle of avoidance that can escalate without timely and targeted intervention.
Encourage children to explore their unique skills and interests. Engaging them in activities like art, music, sports, or problem-solving games helps them feel capable and boosts their self-confidence.
Teach children to use positive self-talk to replace negative thoughts. Affirmations that focus on their strengths and achievements can help improve self-esteem and create a stronger self-image.
Help children develop meaningful relationships with peers. This can be encouraged through group activities or peer mentoring programmes, fostering a sense of belonging and reducing feelings of isolation.
Helping children feel empowered boosts self-confidence and teaches them to face challenges head-on. With stronger self-esteem, children become better equipped to handle school pressures. Over time, this confidence leads to fewer cases of school avoidance caused by emotional struggles (known as EBSA) and helps children build healthy coping skills that last a lifetime.
Getting involved in extracurricular activities, such as drama, Scouts, or volunteering, can make a big difference for students. These kinds of activities allow children to succeed and feel proud outside the classroom. Plus, they help children make friends, grow socially, and feel more sure of themselves in many areas of life.
Helping a child ease back into school life after a long absence can make a huge difference to their confidence and well-being. Here’s how you can create a step-by-step plan to support a smooth reintegration.
The first step is to speak with the child, their parents/carers, and school staff to understand their challenges, worries, and goals. Tools like Mapping the Landscape of Fear can be helpful. This method allows children to identify school situations that cause them anxiety, making it easier to target those issues with specific strategies.
Reintroduce the child to the school environment with brief and manageable visits. For example, you could start with 10–15 minutes in a calm, quiet space like the library or resource room. This helps the child regain familiarity with the setting without feeling overwhelmed.
Once they’re more comfortable, encourage gradual participation in school routines. Start with one lesson or activity they enjoy, then slowly add more subjects and break times. Consider assigning staff support during times of transition, such as arriving and leaving school.
Regularly check in with the child to assess how they’re feeling about the process and make adjustments to the plan if needed. A visual tracker, such as a weekly progress chart, can help the child understand and celebrate their achievements.
Assign a trusted peer or teacher as a mentor. This creates a sense of connection and helps reduce social anxieties. Having someone to turn to can make the school feel less daunting.
Collaboration between school staff, mental health professionals, and families is key to helping children with Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA). By working as a team, everyone involved can ensure the child’s needs are understood and create a well-rounded plan tailored to their situation. Frequent communication, shared goals, and co-developing intervention strategies help ensure consistent support and progress for the child’s well-being.
Using resources like EBSA risk and resilience cards can make a real difference. These tools help identify triggers, strengths, and protective factors, guiding proactive and flexible action plans. Mapping out risks and resilience areas clearly enables schools and families to craft effective, personalised solutions.
Additionally, strong SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) policies form a helpful foundation for addressing EBSA. These policies guide schools in implementing the necessary adjustments and interventions. Access to additional support services like counselling, educational psychologists, and local authority resources enhances this collaborative approach, offering specialised guidance for more complex EBSA-related challenges. Such combined efforts create an environment where children are supported, understood, and empowered to reconnect with their education.
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