Understanding & Supporting Emotionally Based School Avoidance Workbook, Discussion Cards and My Attendance Journal Set of 3

Now includes a FREE online training webinar from author Tina Rae:

Tina’s webinar adressess how to understand and support children and young people with school avoidance/phobia and also highlight effective strategies and support systems which are evidence based.

Children and young people miss school for a variety of reasons – as a response to personal, family, school or wider environmental issues. Emotionally Based School Avoidance or Refusal (EBSA) is a pattern of absence where reluctance, or refusal, to attend or stay in educational settings is rooted in anxiety or fear.

Risk factors vary, and it is important to understand the reasons for poor or non-attendance. This resource provides an overview of EBSA, useful assessments and key tools to help identify and support those young people who find school attendance a struggle owing to anxiety or fear.

Many children and young people – especially those with existing mental health issues have found the experience of lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic particularly stressful and increased levels of anxiety are widespread. As a result, the need to provide support for increased levels of anxiety will be ongoing.

This set of 3 includes:

Understanding & Supporting Children & Young People with Emotionally based School Avoidance (EBSA)

Nasen Awards 2022 Shortlisted
A practical user-friendly toolkit of resources providing an overview of EBSA and strategies to support return to school, with a focus on transition from primary to secondary school.
This toolkit of resources will give confidence to anyone working with or looking after young people in understanding the basis for EBSA and will provide practical, helpful strategies that can be implemented by parents and school-based staff to support young people back into the learning environment.

Understanding & Supporting Emotionally Based School Avoidance Discussion Cards

60 user-friendly cards with practical ideas and strategies to promote and develop children’s attendance
These 60 cards provide a wealth of activities designed to support a child or young person in understanding their own feelings and worries about school attendance. They will help to develop a range of self-help skills. These include how to remain self-regulated, manage stress and anxiety, become more organised and access appropriate support.

My Attendance Journal

Support children and young teens to develop tools and strategies to engage in or return to school
Use the activity of journalling to help students to maintain their well-being and build up the resilience needed to engage in or return to school in a healthy way, enabling them to feel safe, heard and supported.
Now includes FREE webinar from Tina designed for school-based staff, support staff, other associated professionals, and parents/carers to access to provide an overview of the problems associated with school avoidance/phobia and also highlight effective strategies and support systems which are evidence based.
The webinar will aim to support you in:

• Defining emotionally based school avoidance – what does it look and feel like
  Practical approaches and techniques for supporting children with anxiety and school phobia
• How to recognise the warning signs
• How to enable readiness for learning by reducing heightened emotional states
  
• Top tips for supporting transition back to the classroom
• Developing individualised plans for CYP
  
• Developing your Sunday evening and Monday morning plans for managing the increased anxiety levels at these times
  
• Developing your own ability to ‘find your calm’ and share it with those children in your care.
  
• Recognising that one size does not fit all and that there remains a need for creative, flexible and more nuanced approaches

• All-in-One EBSA Support Package: Combines a practical workbook, 60 discussion cards, and a guided attendance journal, along with a free training webinar by Dr. Tina Rae, to provide comprehensive strategies for understanding and addressing Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).

Frequently Asked Questions

• What resources are included in this set?
  The set includes:
  • Understanding & Supporting Children & Young People with Emotionally Based School Avoidance – a practical toolkit shortlisted for the Nasen Awards 2022.
  • Understanding & Supporting Emotionally Based School Avoidance Discussion Cards – 60 user-friendly cards with strategies to promote attendance.
  • My Attendance Journal – a journaling resource to help students build resilience and re-engage with school.
• Who is this set intended for?
  This resource is ideal for SENCOs, mental health leads, learning mentors, teachers, counsellors, social care professionals, and parents/carers working with children and young people facing EBSA.
• Does the set address challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic?
  Yes, the resources specifically consider the increased anxiety levels and challenges in school attendance resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Is there any additional support provided?
  Yes, the set includes a free online training webinar by Dr. Tina Rae, offering an overview of EBSA and evidence-based strategies to support children and young people.