This course provides professionals working with children and young people with a clear, compassionate understanding of Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA). It explores how emotional well-being, mental health, neurodiversity, and wider environmental factors contribute to difficulties attending school, helping staff recognise early indicators and understand the experiences behind attendance patterns. 

Throughout this course, you will build confidence in applying preventative and responsive strategies, including person‑centred planning, flexible adjustments, and effective collaboration with families and external agencies. The course will equip you with practical, evidence-informed approaches that support pupils to re‑engage with education, feel emotionally safe, and maintain sustained attendance. 

Course Outline:

Develop an understanding of how emotional wellbeing, mental health, and underlying anxieties can contribute to patterns of school avoidance and prolonged absence 

Explore the potential consequences of Emotionally Based School Avoidance for pupils, families, and educational settings, alongside the protective factors that can mitigate these risks 

Gain insight into preventative and responsive approaches to EBSA, including the roles of schools, families, and external agencies in providing coordinated support 

Build confidence in applying effective, person-centred strategies to help pupils re-engage with education and transition successfully back into school following EBSA related absence