Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) describes when a child or young person struggles to attend school because of anxiety, sensory overwhelm, trauma, unmet neurodivergent needs, or a combination of these factors. Early identification, a strengths‑based graduated response (Assess, Plan, Do, Review — APDR) initiated by schools together with a carefully staged reintegration plan are central to preventing long‑term exclusion and re‑establishing meaningful access to education. But it is never as straight forward as that, is it?
