Rosie, a student struggling with EBSA, or Emotional Based School Avoidance, has experienced intense trauma during her time in the unsafe school environment. Rosie’s mom Julie views the development as a series of compounding disasters. These compounding concerns drove Rosie to a “fight or flight” response, producing severe panic attacks at the thought of attending school. Schools around the nation have been sounding the alarm on increasing manifestation of EBSA. While education advocates continue to call for significant additional support to aid these displaced students,
Now, looking back, Julie remembers the horrifying times when Rosie’s anxiety was at its worst. “It just felt as if I was walking her into the lion’s den every single day,” she said. To the point that Rosie’s night terrors got so bad, she was now screaming at night. Julie shared that she would wake up with night terrors almost every night. Even if she was able to drift off, she would awaken in terror.
As Dr Joanne Summers, principal educational psychologist at Luton Borough Council describes, EBSA can develop quickly and unexpectedly. On second thought, it’s clear that deeper fear about going to school usually comes first, sparking these behaviors. “When you look back, there has been anxiety around being in school,” Dr. Summers stated. It’s a view that many families would agree with. They see their child suffering in quiet until it’s dangerously severe.
Anna Hewes, head teacher of the Prince William School, pointed to another alarming trend. Schools are experiencing an extraordinary boom in EBSA—from students in Year Seven, Eight and Nine. She accepted that EBSA is a “big part” of the crisis preventing students from being in school. In light of these alarming trends, Mrs. Hewes expressed her concern and noted, “I feel that if I hadn’t have got to the point… where she broke, I would never have known if it had worked.”
The numbers on persistent absenteeism are hard to swallow. In the 2018-19 academic year, 11% of students were considered to be persistently absent from school. This percentage jumped to 12% in 2020-21 and then skyrocketed to 23% in 2021-22. According to the latest figures, close to 19% of students were chronically absent during the 2021-2022 school year.
Cornelia Andrecut, the executive director of children’s services for North Northamptonshire Council, has written. She understands that there are not enough resources and training for schools to adequately support children with EBSA. She’s started training courses focused on getting educators the tools they need to support these vulnerable students.
Geoff Barton, a former head teacher and a leading voice in educational reform, emphasized the necessity of prioritizing the emotional well-being of students over punitive measures related to attendance. He argues for more “focus on the humanity of our schools” rather than defaulting to “harsh discipline” over attendance.
In light of this father-and-son crisis, the government is hitting back. Most recently, the Conservative government has committed £740 million to create more specialist places within mainstream schools. These projects intend to recruit Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) leads in 1,000 additional family hubs. This expansion will happen nationwide, increasing access to families in need.
Jenny Nimmo, chief of inclusion at East Midlands Academy Trust, expressed hope about this promising new direction. She’s committed, then, to building more “witzdy” classrooms in future units. Additionally, they’ll provide on campus mental health support, creating a community of care for students battling mental health barriers.
In response, a spokesperson from the Department for Education reiterated their commitment to addressing this challenge. They reiterated that schools need to take a “support first” approach for students who have difficulty just showing up to school. The spokesperson added that expanding access to mental health support teams in schools is crucial to ensuring every pupil can access early support services within their communities.
As schools navigate this challenging landscape, it remains essential for parents, educators, and policymakers to collaborate on solutions that prioritize mental health and emotional support for students like Rosie. The ongoing dialogue emphasizes that understanding and addressing anxiety in students is imperative for fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment.
