There has been a huge national increase in children and young people not attending school, with the Government’s Department for Education reporting that the number of children who are persistently absent has doubled within the last six years.
Many children and young people worry about school, but for some, that worry can become so great that they find it hard to go to lessons, or even avoid going to school altogether. This is known as Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).
We know that in Devon rates of absence are higher than the national average. We also know that when there are difficulties, families have felt that support doesn’t arrive on time, the systems feel complex and it’s not always clear where to go for help.
We’ve been working with children, parents and carers, teachers and other education and health professionals to create a website to help develop an understanding around EBSA and provide resources, so that the right support for children can be accessed when they need it.
It’s packed with helpful tips, advice and resources for families, including how to support your child at home and what help to expect from schools. It has different sections for children who miss some school, those who miss school regularly, and those who do not attend at all, so that families can find the right support for their specific situation.
It’s all part of a bigger project, that also includes training for school staff and re-designing services, to support school attendance by offering the right help at the right time. Visit the website using the button below, and let us know what you think by using the feedback form.