Emotional Based School Avoidance ABSA

Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) and Anxiety Based School Avoidance (ABSA) are terms used to describe a group of children and young people who have severe difficulty in attending school due to emotional factors, often resulting in prolonged absences from school.

Free Downloadable Resources

→ EBSA Education Setting Guidance Part 1 of 2  What do we need to know about causation and prevention?What can we do to help when pupils are presenting with EBSA? 

→ EBSA Education Guidance Part 2 of 2 What can education settings do to help when pupils are
displaying Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)

→ EBSA Good Practice Guide. West Sussex 

→ PDF | Children Emotionally Based School Avoidance EBSA 

→ Inclusion Support Programme for ABSA. Template. 

→ The Push-Pull Factors  

→ PDF | Parent- EBSA and AutismPDF 

→ PDF | Parents - Emotionally Based School Avoidance 

→ PDF | Young People - Emotionally Based School Avoidance 

→ Anxiety-Based School Avoidance Pathway for Kent 

Assessments - The School Refusal Assessment Scale
This is a psychological assessment tool to assess what is causing the child’s school refusal to then best inform the proper interventions. The SRAS-R will be of most value when you are first addressing a child’s school avoidance and are unsure if it’s caused by aversion to school or obtaining positive feelings from staying at home. Dr. Kearny and Dr. Anne-Marie Albano School Avoidance Alliance 

→ School Refusal Assessment Scale - Parents

→ School Refusal Assessment Scale - Children 

→ Scoring Example 

Useful Resources - Below are useful resources from Suffolk County Council to help children and families who are struggling with school attendance due to emotional difficulties.

→ EBSA Brochure for Families

→ EBSA Brochure for Children 

→ EBSA Brochure for Young People 

→ Noticing the Signs of EBSA 

→ Answering Anxious Questions 

→ Advice for Parents 

→ Ways to Self-Regulate 

→ Planning a Return to School 

→ EBSA Family Concerns Word Document  

→ EBSA Capturing Worries Word Document 

→ EBSA A Person-Centred Plan Worksheet 

→ EBSA Person-Centred Plan Path Worksheet 

→ EBSA  What Matters Island Activity Worksheet 

→ Five Tips for Families, going back to school with Anxiety 

→ Five Tips for Families, going back to school with Autism 

→ Going back to Primary School 

→ Going back to Secondary School

Media Links  

→ Working with Emotion Based School Avoidance (EBSA) Training

→ Children & young people in Suffolk describe how adults can support them best. 

→ Understanding School-Based Refusal 

→ Emotionally Based School Avoidance: Collaborative EP Event 

→ How do I help? School Refusal - Autism 

→ Anxiety for parents and carers with children in KS2 & 3. Kent Educational Psychology Service 

→ Anxiety for school staff working with children in KS2 & 3. This was developed by Kent Educational Psychology Service

Recommend Resources 

→ Understanding & Supporting Children & Young People with Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) 

→ A Toolbox of Wellbeing: Helpful strategies & activities for children, teens, their carers & teachers 

→ The Essential Resilience & Wellbeing Toolkit for Early Years & Younger Children: Activities & Strategies for Professionals & Parents 

→ Mental Health and Well-being in Primary Education: A Practical Guide and Resource

Training

→ General ABSA Awareness Training & Resource Pack.
Access through: Kent CPD Online | Home Page (theeducationpeople.org)