Emotional Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA)
EBSNA is when children and young people struggle to attend school due to emotional factors. This may be linked to their individual emotional wellbeing and mental health needs, their home life, their school experiences, or a combination of all of these.
Wolverhampton’s EBSNA Pathway was developed to help schools within the city to support pupils whose school attendance is a concern due to these reasons.
What should I do if I’m worried about my child and their attendance?
- Raise your concerns early with your child’s school.
- We know that early support and intervention is key and the EBSNA pathway promotes communication between families and schools as soon as early warning signs are noticed.
- We know that early support and intervention is key and the EBSNA pathway promotes communication between families and schools as soon as early warning signs are noticed.
- Keep talking to your child’s school and attend meetings to plan support for you and your child.
- At each stage of the EBSNA pathway schools are asked to hold regular meetings with families to share information and plan next steps.
- At each stage of the EBSNA pathway schools are asked to hold regular meetings with families to share information and plan next steps.
- Help your child to share their views.
- You know your child well and so share information with school to try to help them understand the reasons for the non-attendance and the support they need.
- You know your child well and so share information with school to try to help them understand the reasons for the non-attendance and the support they need.
- Ask your child’s school to follow the EBSNA Pathway if they are not doing so already.
- View the EBSNA pathway
- The resources will give you a guide about what the EBSNA pathway should look like in schools and helpful strategies and support networks for you to access.
Where can I access further support and information?
- View the video guide about the pathway for families above
- Visit Wolverhampton Information, Advice and Support Service (IASS) website
- Access free Parent/Carer Consultation Service from the Educational Psychology Service
- Not Fine in School is a parent/carer-led organisation set up in response to the growing number of children and young people who struggle with school attendance. They have information on their website and a closed Facebook group for parents/carers.