‘Emotionally Based School Avoidance’ (EBSNA) is a broad term, used to describe the experiences of individual children and young people who experience anxiety, stress, worry and concern about attending school for one or more reasons.
The curriculum, personal learning needs, social or friendship issues, neurodivergence, sensory challenges, exam pressures and much more could contribute to a young person experiencing these feelings.
You may also hear the term Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSNA) or we may refer to barriers to attendance or school attendance difficulties. We understand that terminology evolves and may not suit everyone.
The intention is to promote awareness, understanding, curiosity and empathy towards a child or young person's lived experiences and their personal barriers to education.
The EBSNA Toolkit, and supporting documents, promotes a graduated approach of assessment and intervention for use within schools, to help CYP and their families experiencing attendance difficulties. Please refer to the Toolkit and accompanying documents below for further information.
