Schools can implement a stepped support plan to support children and young to attend school, or face situations that cause anxiety. This approach uses graded exposure to help reduce anxiety and build confidence by setting goals and breaking them into manageable steps.
Developing a stepped support plan for a pupil experiencing attendance difficulties or worries involves several key stages to ensure that it is effective.
Stage 1
The initial phase should involve information gathering. Gather comprehensive data from multiple sources, such as the pupil, parents, teachers, and other professionals.
Pupil voice is essential in identifying specific needs and challenges faced by students, enabling personalised support and interventions. We’ve put together some guidance on gaining pupil’s views around attendance difficulties and worries that you may find useful.
Supporting pupils with EBSA requires a collaborative approach with parents. To be effective this should include:
Regular updates to keep parents informed about their child’s progress, support a consistent dialogue. Try to keep consistent, key members of staff who contact the family.
Work with parents to develop a gradual stepped-support plan tailored to their child’s needs. The ATTEND framework provides a systemic framework for collecting, organizing and analyzing information to include within a plan.
Encourage parents to connect with other families facing similar challenges. Sharing experiences and strategies can be supportive.
Acknowledging and celebrating small achievements both at home and school can be motivating for parents, pupils and teachers.
Stage 2
Once information about non-attendance and the child and parent’s views have been gathered, it is important to agree shared goals and actions.
When agreeing shared goals and actions is it crucial that a stepped approach is taken. A stepped approach uses a gradual exposure method, to gently reintroduce the pupil to situations they have found challenging, in a way that feels manageable and supportive for them. Over time, the aim is that the pupil’s anxiety is reduced and increases their feeling of being able to cope.
For a pupil who has been out of school, the overall goal may be for them to attend a full day of school. When this is broken down into smaller goals, the first step towards this target may be a virtual check in with a trusted teacher, or after-hours visit to the school.
When a pupil is feeling confident with a step of the plan, the next step of the plan should be introduced. In the example of the pupil returning to attend for a full day, the next stage may be to take part in a small group activity on the school site, or to attend a favourite lesson.
An important note here, if a pupil is experiencing physical overwhelm at school and the environment doesn’t change a stepped plan will not work. For example, a child may need to complete actions in a stepped plan in a calm and quiet environment if they experience sensory sensitives.
Stage 3
The stepped support plan should be regularly reviewed in consultation with the pupil, parents, key staff, and professionals. These reviews provide an opportunity to monitor and celebrate progress, consider any new information or changes, and plan subsequent steps.
It is important to celebrate success, even if progress is slow or there are challenges. Adhering to the step-by-step process of the plan is crucial. While it may be tempting to skip a stage or raise expectations regarding attendance, doing so can add undue pressure and jeopardize trust.
If the situation feels stalled, it may be necessary to adapt the plans and break down targets into smaller, more manageable steps. The review phase also serves as an opportunity to determine whether additional involvement from external agencies is warranted.
Lumi Nova
Lumi Nova is a therapeutic game that helps children aged 7 to 12 years self-manage worries and build resilience.