Emotional Barriers to School Attendance (previously Anxiety Based School Avoidance)
The Emotional Barriers to School Attendance guidance and toolkit. This replaces the ABSA (Anxiety Based School Avoidance) guidance that has been in place since 2020.
The 'Emotional Barriers to School Attendance: Manchester’s Guidance for Prevention and Early Intervention' document is the result of a co-production between Manchester Local Authority, One Education Educational Psychology Service, Parents, Health, as well as schools, colleges and provisions across Manchester.
The work has drawn heavily from recent research and learning in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Emotional Barriers to School Attendance is a broad umbrella term used to describe a range of factors that can cause a child or young person to have a strong emotional reaction to school. It often results in prolonged absences from school. The term includes children who may have good attendance but struggle to fully engage, and who may mask underlying difficulties in order to ‘fit in’.
The guidance aims to support early identification, intervention and prevention of EBSA. It has a particular focus on the evidence-based link between neurodivergence and attendance difficulties.
The main document defines EBSA, reviews the research, and gives an overview of the factors that impact on school attendance and engagement
There are a wealth of resources and information to support schools to improve their whole school approach to prevention of EBSA, including audit tools and suggestions for reasonable adjustments.
The Planning for Change Toolkit is a ‘hands-on’, easy-to -use tool to help staff follow the assess, plan, do review process. It helps professionals to identify underlying needs relating to EBSA and to plan support.
Although aimed at schools, the document can be used by different professionals and parents, and anyone who may benefit from the information and resources available.
A Manchester EBSA padlet has been created so that all the most relevant resources can be accessed in one place. As with all the other resources this can be shared across school staff, health and other professionals as well as parents and carers.