Breaking Down the Barriers to Education: New Guidance to Support Children Experiencing EBSA

Across the country, more children and young people are struggling to attend school because of Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA). While awareness of EBSA has grown, many families and professionals have found that practical, coordinated guidance on how to support these young people is still limited. EBSA is a term used to describe children and young people who struggle to attend school due to emotional distress. It's often rooted in anxiety, but there's no single cause.
That is why we are sharing Barriers to Education, an initiative led by Spectrum Gaming. This project brings together the latest research, tools, and frameworks to help schools, professionals, and families better understand and respond to EBSA.
Why the Barriers to Education project was created
The project began after identifying a significant gap in guidance for supporting children and families experiencing entrenched or long-term non-attendance, particularly among neurodivergent young people.
Although awareness and understanding of EBSA have improved, schools and services still face challenges in providing the right support at the right time. The Barriers to Education project aims to change this by promoting a needs-led and collaborative approach to attendance that recognises each child and family as unique. The team behind the project collected thousands of accounts from young people and their families, placing lived experience at the centre of the work and ensuring that the guidance is grounded in real experiences and practical insight.
In recent years, the voices of parents and carers, along with emerging academic research and media attention, have brought EBSA into sharper focus. With school attendance now a top priority for the Department for Education (DfE) and Ofsted, there is greater recognition of the urgency of the issue and the strain caused by limited funding and capacity within education and public services.
What the guidance offers
The Barriers to Education website makes information about EBSA more accessible and practical for everyone. It combines the latest research with clear and easy-to-use tools that can support:
- Local authorities and education leaders
- School and classroom staff
- Individual practitioners and families
Some of the key tools include:
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Early Identification of Needs Tool – a collaborative resource for schools, families, and young people to identify barriers to attendance early and create personalised support plans
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Inclusive Environments Toolkit – practical steps for creating more accessible and welcoming learning environments.
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The WARMTH Framework – a model for building positive relationships and driving wider change in how schools approach attendance.
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Guidance on understanding burnout – helping professionals and families recognise the signs and understand what helps at each stage.
Together, these resources support a shift away from punitive responses to attendance and towards approaches rooted in empathy, understanding, and early intervention.
Our ongoing work on EBSA
At the Together Trust, we continue to contribute to this important area through our EBSA research project. We are currently:
- Engaging with professionals and parent-carers to gather insights and lived experiences
- Conducting a literature review to strengthen the evidence base
- Identifying opportunities to align best practices across education and care settings
Get involved
We will continue to share updates on our EBSA research, and we are keen to collaborate with others who are committed to improving attendance and well-being for children and young people. If you would like to contribute to the project as a parent/ carer or professional, please get in touch with styliana.pasiardi@togethertrust.org.uk.
Find out more
You can explore the full Barriers to Education guidance and tools here: barrierstoeducation.co.uk
Stay informed about our work by:
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Signing up for our campaign updates
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Checking our website news