What we have learnt supports improvements in children experiencing EBSA

Over the last two years we have seen examples of children experiencing EBSA successfully returning to school. Each reintegration has looked different for each child but there have been some common themes that school staff, families, children, and other practitioners have reported have contributed  to the success.

• A gradual plan/stepped approach involving very small steps with staff and parent/carers understanding that it is important to be prepared for setbacks. Small steps might include a staff member building a relationship with the child virtually, in the home or in a local park initially, practicing walking past school, going into school after school, completing learning in a support hub or choosing a favoured lesson to join initially.
• A flexible approach must be taken in relation to the child’s timetable to avoid pressure on a return to school. Parent/carers reported that it was helpful and avoided placing further stress on the situation when school staff worked together with them to find ways forward and avoided attendance procedures for prosecution.
• Allowing the child more ownership and empowerment over next steps and what they felt able to manage; affording them choices around flexible expectations (e.g., choosing their start time). Young people found completing the ‘laddering’ activity where they were able to identify steps they felt were more achievable about returning to school (e.g., initially visiting school after school hours when pupils were not present).
• Regaining trusted relationships for the child with key adults at school was a priority, building up the time they spend together/having daily contact.
• It was essential to make it clear what is not expected of child as well as what will be expected by any visits to school (i.e., they will not be expected to stay longer/attend lessons, etc.).
• Increasing the child’s sense of school belonging (e.g., joining after-school clubs of interest).
• Accessing a student support base as a ‘safe space’ within school.
• Regular home-school communication (by key adult).
• Building first upon areas of a child’s interest and strength as a ‘hook’/motivator.
• Support for developing positive peer relationships by providing safe opportunities. This has included opportunities for social time with peers with a similar interest, having a buddy system and giving the child tools/scripts to use to explain their absence to others.
• Supportive strategies to manage the child’s anxiety regarding academic pressures (e.g., allowing the child to RAG rate lessons and removing subjects they find the most anxiety-provoking from their timetable; providing ‘catch up’ sessions for missed learning, initially focusing on preferred subjects.
• Strategies to support with separation anxiety (e.g., allowing text check ins with family members at certain times).

Examples of targets for EBSA

• Direct communication with the family. Direct written communication with the young person (e.g. through email).
• Between one and three communications per week, including a mix of written and verbal exchanges, with one key person in schools.
• Verbal communication, at least three times a week with two or more people.
• Brief face to face communication, with at least one person, not on the school premises.
• Sustained face to face communication, with at least one person, not on the school premises.
• Brief face to face communication, with at least one person, on the school premises.
• Sustained face to face communication, with at least one person, on the school premises.
• Attending school on a part time basis.
• Attending school full time, within an inclusion base or similar.
• Attending school full time with a mix of mainstream lessons and withdrawal.
• Attending school full time and accessing all mainstream lessons with support.
• Attending school full time and accessing all mainstream lessons independently.

Case study example

Target 1

(Week 1): Daily email contact with key adult at school.

Target 2

(Week 2): Josh will be able to put on his uniform and walk past school during school hours at least once; daily email contact with key adult will continue.

Target 3

(Week 3):

Josh will have at least one contact (possibly via email, phone call or video call, depending on his preference) with at least two trusted members of staff.

Target 4

(Week 4): Josh to visit school at an after-school timing to meet with key adult in Student Support Base. Josh empowered to determine the duration of this.

Target 5

(Week 5): During Easter holidays, Josh to attempt walking past school supported by his mother.

Target 6

(Week 6): In the first week(s) of summer term, Josh to have one after school visit and 1-2 visits during school hours; by the third visit, for Josh to attempt some manageable work with a focus on ‘catching up’ missed/previously learned work.

Target 7

(Week 7): Josh to have after school visits (1-3) as an aim of having more regular visits to school which can then be built up over time to daily.

Target 8

Revisit previous target of Josh accessing after school time visits (1-3) then gradually increase again to afternoon timings during school hours.

Target 9

Josh to consistently access school from 12pm or 11am timings Josh to access lunchtime outside with peers.

Josh to access a PE lesson or maths or science lesson.