Emotionally Based School Avoidance (Short Course)

The new emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) short course seeks to support practitioners responding to the growing numbers of children and young people who experience emotional challenges in attending school, an increase observed both locally and nationally. Recent statistics from the Department for Education (2024) found that 20.2% of children were persistently absent in the academic year 2023/2024 to date. Improving school attendance is therefore a key priority for many educational settings.

“Children are ambitious for their futures so the systems in place to support them must be equally ambitious” (Children’s Commissioner, 2023).

Through studying this national priority within an academic framework, the course draws upon the latest evidence, research, and guidance to support practitioners in developing their knowledge and understanding of EBSA, as well as equipping you with the skills to identify concerns at an earlier stage and implement the appropriate support. It will also provide opportunities to engage in dialogue, share experiences and network with other practitioners interested in this topic.

The course is assessed through a 2,000-word project which is designed to be purposeful for you and your professional context. The module tutor will guide you through this and you will also have access to the university’s Academic Skills Department for support.

Upon successful completion of this accredited stand-alone short course, you will gain 10 Level 7 Master’s credits. These credits can be used towards a wider Level 7 qualification; for example, our Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)MA or our Education MA.

“It is clear that a growing number of our children feel unable to attend school. It is also clear that some of these children are not ‘school refusers’ i.e. they are not choosing to be absent from school. We have started to understand that, like a lot of adults with phobias, our children are finding the thought of attending school overwhelming. That is why understanding how Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) presents, what can increase the likelihood of it occurring and how to support children experiencing it is so important for staff working in schools. We want our children to feel understood and supported so they can start to attend school more regularly, so they can feel happy and comfortable again”.

– Virtual School Headteacher

This course starts on 8^th October 2024 and is comprised by five 2-hour sessions.

• The definition of emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), the evolution of terminology and the short- and long-term impacts of EBSA.
• The potential contributing risk and protective factors of EBSA, exploring the individual, family/home and educational environment.
• The supportive strategies available to practitioners to support children/young people who experience EBSA to re-engage and maintain their attendance in school.