Exploring Emotionally Based School Non Attendance (EBSNA)

Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) or Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) is used to describe children and young people who experience significant difficulties attending school due to emotional distress—most often anxiety—rather than deliberate choice or rebellion. The terminology reflects a shift away from terms like “school refusal” toward a more compassionate understanding that attendance issues are rooted in emotional needs, not behaviour.

Objective:This workshop is designed to empower parents and carers with the knowledge and strategies they need to understand and respond to emotionally based school avoidance or non-attendance. It aims to reduce reliance on statutory services by equipping families with tools to identify early signs, understand underlying emotional causes, and support their child’s reintegration into education in a compassionate and sustainable way.

Workshop Content:

• What EBSA/EBSNA is and how it differs from truancy or persistent absenteeism
• Exploring early identification
• Understanding the interplay of 'push' and 'pull' factors: when anxiety outweighs resilience and drives school avoidance
• Underlying causes including anxiety, separation issues, school stress, neurodiversity, and family dynamics
• Principles from research on return-to-school success: individualised approaches (e.g., pupil passports), effective home‑school communication, awareness of triggers, and multi‑professional engagement
• Action planning: building desensitisation hierarchies, breaking the cycle of avoidance, and preparing for reintegration

Learning Outcomes:

• Gain a clear understanding of EBSA/EBSNA and the emotional distress driving non-attendance
• Recognise the signs and underlying causes behind school avoidance, including the difference from truancy
• Understand the role of neurodiversity, anxiety, school environment, and attachment on attendance
• Be equipped with practical strategies to support your child back into education at their pace, backed by collaborative planning and professional support

Please note this workshop is for parent carers who are Hertfordshire residents, or for parent carers of children attending a Hertfordshire School.