- EBSA refers to a pattern where a child or young person struggles to attend school or participate in class because of intense emotional distress, often linked to anxiety, fear, or other overwhelming feelings.
- Unlike traditional “school refusal,” EBSA is not about defiance but rather a response to emotional overwhelm, sometimes manifesting as fight, flight, or freeze behaviours.
- The term is broad and includes variations such as Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) and anxiety-related non-attendance (ARNA)
EBSA can arise from a complex interplay of factors at the child, home, and school levels and contributors can include.
- Anxiety, depression, or social phobias, which make school environments stressful.
- Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, such as autism or ADHD, which can heighten anxiety or sensory challenges.
- Fear of bullying, exclusion, or social difficulties, leading to avoidance as a coping mechanism
- Major life changes, including family separation, illness, or bereavement, which can increase emotional vulnerability.
In this course we will address the impact of each of these factors above and consider the SF3R Reset approach to provide a safe and secure pathway for consistent attendance at school or college.