Emotionally Based School Avoidance

What is EBSA?

EBSA is a term used to describe situations where children feel unable to attend school or lessons due to feeling worried or anxious. EBSA may mean that:

• A child feels unable to go to school; sometimes they may even become upset/angry when asked to go to school
• A child may go to school but feel unable to attend lessons
• A child says that they feel unwell/sick; this may be before school or on a Sunday night
• A child finds reasons to want to stay at home
• A child appears nervous or worried when entering school or when talking about school
• School attendance is hard for the child

If a child is showing one or more of these behaviours, they may be experiencing EBSA and require additional support to go to school.

What can lead to EBSA?

If child feels unable to attend school or lessons, there can be lots of reasons that may cause a child to feel this way. There is usually more than one reason why a child may feel this way and it can be quite complicated. Some reasons may include:

• There has been an incident in school, e.g., argument with friends/teachers, that makes a child feel uncomfortable about school
• A change in a child’s schooling, e.g., moving to a new school or starting at secondary school.
• A change in a child’s home situation e.g., parents separating, or a parent experiencing illness or mental health.
• They have siblings who experiences EBSA
• A child has special educational needs, that require further identification and/or support. Further information can be found here SENDLO

Wirral EBSA Strategy

In response to the concerns surrounding Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), Wirral has initiated a comprehensive strategy aimed at supporting children, families, and schools grappling with this issue. EBSA, a phenomenon where children experience significant anxiety or worry about attending school, has become increasingly prevalent, necessitating a coordinated effort to address its root causes and provide necessary support systems.

The project team are keen to ensure that this strategy is embedded across Wirral.  Please check this page for updates. For enquiries, please contact: [email protected]