School Refuser - The Blog

Friday 23 March 2012

Emotionally Based School Refusal - Somerset Council Guide


Emotionally Based School Refusal (EBSR) is a term ascribed to the group of young people who do not attend school for reasons of fear, anxiety and misery (West Sussex EPS, 2004).

North Somerset Council has produced a pack which includes a list of risk factors that may indicate a child is developing EBSR.  This list is based on research and practitioners’ experience.  There can be no definitive list that will give a measurable outcome as EBSR is so complex.  However, this is a list that can be used as an indicator.  We suggest it could be used at times of transition (eg Years 6 to 7, 9 to 10) when a child is having unexplained or regular time off school or when a child is causing concern within school.  It should be used as an aid to identify specific areas of concern that may lead to a child being increasingly absent from school.  This list can also be used for sharing information within and between schools and other agencies where appropriate consent has been gained.

Also included in this pack are some leaflets that summarise this information.

It can be downloaded here: http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/849E02A0-70B7-4704-8191-AA48E85E71C5/0/Everychildmatters_Emotionallybasedschoolrefusalguidance.pdf

Thursday 22 March 2012

BBC documentary

The BBC is looking into making a documentary about young people who are experiencing school phobia/school refusal.

They are interested in how we could develop this and would really like to speak to - confidentially at first - any parents with children from the ages of 16 and up who are going through this. 

If this sounds like you and you have something to say about how you feel it's affected you and your family, the support you've received, and what it's like then please do get in touch for a confidential chat. 

Please feel free to email Datshi datshiane.navanayagam@bbc.co.uk if you would like to get in touch.