Parent Carers Experiences of Children with Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)

Report - 28 November 2023

This report is a piece of joint research around EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance) to explore levels of understanding and support from GPs and schools in relation to this issue.

Healthwatch has been engaging with B&NES Parent Carer Forum since September 2022, when we first attended a parent carer cafe to hear from parent carers about their experiences.

Following on from these regular engagements the Parent Carer Forum approached Healthwatch in Spring 2023 to undertake joint research around EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance) to explore levels of understanding and support from GPs and schools in relation to this issue.

The Parent Carer Forum raised this issue, due to the feedback they were hearing from parent carers including:

• the variable way in which EBSA is dealt with by GPs and schools

• new guidance given to schools around attendance, which is impacting especially on those children with EBSA, but where any other diagnosis is absent

• that EBSA has become more common since COVID but was present beforehand

 

 

Downloads

Find out more and read our recommendations.
Download (PDF 631 KB)

You might also be interested in