EBSNA
Educationally Based School Non-Attendance
This is a term adopted by Trafford Council and a number of authorities to describe children and young people who have significant difficulties in attending school due to a range of factors. EBSNA can start early on in a child’s school life but is often not identified until secondary school.
What can EBSNA look like?
Crying or pleading
Avoidance of getting up, get ready for school or leave the house
Preoccupied with worries about school related issues
Sleep difficulties
Frequent complaints of minor illness e.g., feeling sick, headache
Distressed and aggressive behaviours (usually at home)
Some children mask their anxiety and appear fine at school
At home, or at school, children or young people may display their emotional distress in a variety of different ways. It is also important to acknowledge that children and young people may present as being OK whilst in school yet display a high level of distress at home. This can happen when a child or young person masks how they feel in an attempt to ‘fit in’. It is therefore important to listen to parental/carer concerns and what they communicate about their child’s behaviours.
Causes of EBSNA:
There is no single cause of EBSNA. Instead it is thought to be multiple factors unique to your child or young person that can include:
special educational needs
social and communication difficulties
stressors from school
bullying or perceived threats of bullying
family and friendship difficulties
negative thoughts
This can lead to pushing children and young people away from school and pulling them towards home.
Early Identification and working together towards action is essential
There are alot of children and young people who live and go to school in Trafford who are struggling with high levels of anxiety related to attending school.
The need for parent carers, school staff and specialist services to work together has become even more important as children, young people and families try to adapt to the short and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic situation.
Click here to find out more information on how you can support your child and to access Trafford's Guidance document.