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YouTube animation for children. Video length 2.13 minutes

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Fight Flight Freeze – A Guide to Anxiety for Kids

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Advice and guidance for parents and carers

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Advice and guidance for parents and carers

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Published by the Anna Freud Centre, who have been supporting CYP's mental health for over 70 years.

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Advice and guidance for parents and carers to help them support a child or young person experiencing poor mental health or wellbeing.

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Mental Health issues affecting a pupils attendance: guidance for schools

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Mental Health issues affecting a pupils attendance: guidance for schools

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Summary of responsibilities where a mental health issue is affecting attendance and examples of effective practice

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Mental health issues affecting a pupil’s attendance: guidance for schools

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Summary of responsibilities where a mental health issue is affecting attendance and examples of effective practice.

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Working together to improve school attendance

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Working together to improve school attendance

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Guidance for schools, academy trusts, governing bodies and local authorities on maintaining high levels of school attendance, including roles and responsibilities

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Working together to improve school attendance

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Guidance for schools, academy trusts, governing bodies and local authorities on maintaining high levels of school attendance, including roles and responsibilities.

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Fight, Flight or Freeze - Anxiety Explained for Teenagers

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Fight, Flight or Freeze - Anxiety Explained for Teenagers

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YouTube animation for young people. Video length 2.41 minutes

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Fight Flight Freeze – Anxiety Explained For Teens

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Something to try at home

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Kooth - a judgement free platform and service to support CYP 

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Kooth - a judgement free platform and service to support CYP 

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Free, safe and anonymous digital mental health support for 10 - 25 year olds

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Kooth - the mental health and wellbeing platform for young people

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Kooth is a free safe and anonymous platform for young people to find all kinds of support for their mental health and emotional wellbeing. From text-chat with trained emotional wellbeing practitioners and counsellors to helpful activities, resources and a supportive community, there are lots of ways to access support.

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A community based network for families in Warrington to support CYP with Autism.

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Families in Warrington - Addvanced Solutions

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For families in Warrington Our community based learning opportunities improve understanding, develop skills and share experiences so that you can better support your neurodivergent child or young person.

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Support and advice services for young peoples emotional health and wellbeing

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42nd Street’s vision is for inclusive, accessible mental health and wellbeing support and opportunities for all young people.

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A low-demand parenting webinar from Autism Central with Dr Naomi Fisher and Eliza Fricker

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The series of seven webinars, with Dr Naomi Fisher and Eliza Fricker, is for parents and carers to understand more about low-demand parenting.​

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What can schools do? A blog published by EdPsychED

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Dr Mollie Higgins, Educational Psychologist, shares the key themes and outcomes of her doctoral research around Autistic Young People experiencing Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA). Mollie has been working alongside Dr Jerricah Holder to create a new chapter for the EBSA Horizons EP Course - Supporting Autistic CYP experiencing EBSA. To be released early next year. Sign up here to access the course. The Ideal School: EBSA and Autism
In addition to the risk factors for EBSA, autistic young people experience a number of differences which further increase their feelings of anxiety within the school environment. These include:

Differences in identifying and describing their own and others' emotions

Emotional regulation difficulties

Differences in sensory processing and finding the sensory environment overwhelming e.g. loud corridors, different smells, busy classrooms

Difficulties understanding and predicting social situations and managing interactions with others

Worries around change or transitions e.g. moving between classrooms, changes to timetables, supply teachers

Executive functioning and organisation difficulties - remembering books, homework, equipment

Masking - try to 'fit in' or attempting to appear more neurotypical by changing their behaviour and internalising any anxiety

Experiencing performance anxiety related to the schoolwork or exams

These challenges mean that some autistic students try and manage their anxiety by avoiding school altogether. This is reflected in statistics which show higher levels of EBSA amongst autistic students (Department for Education, 2021). I felt it was important to speak with students directly to hear their views and opinions about what might help them attend school.

I asked ten autistic secondary-age students to describe the best school ever and the worst school ever. This technique is known as The Ideal School and is based on Personal Construct Psychology. By asking students to describe their ideal and non-ideal schools, I was able to understand the type of adjustments that would help these students feel more able to attend school.

Five key themes were identified from the data and the key points are summarised below.

So What Can Schools Do?

This technique was adapted by Williams and Hanke (2005) using Moran's (2001) Drawing the Ideal Self.
If EBSA is an area which you're supporting CYP with, we've been fortunate to work with Dr Jerricah Holder on her EBSA Horizons courses for Educational Psychologists and School Staff. - New ** EBSA Horizons | School Training
Stay connected with news and updates!

Sign up to receive updates, resources, inspiring blogs and early access to our courses.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.

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Sharing EP Practice: EBSA and Autism - What Can Schools Do?

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Dr Mollie Higgins, Educational Psychologist, shares the key themes and outcomes of her doctoral research around Autistic Young People experiencing Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA). Mollie has been working alongside Dr Jerricah Holder to create a new chapter for the EBSA Horizons EP Course - Supporting Autistic CYP experiencing EBSA.

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Key resources and information for parents to access when a child struggles to attend school

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Square Peg is a unique, multi-disciplinary organisation working across education and allied services, research, academia, policy, practice, government, the third sector, technology, design and innovation.

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Find out more about the role we are taking as we strive to respond to the attendance crisis together

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ELIZA FRICKER is an author & illustrator, and an advocate & consultant for PDA, autism and learning. She offers a range of support for parents and educators on navigating autism and education, including one-to-one consultations, webinars, presentations, a podcast, and the enduring original Missing the Mark illustrations & blog.

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With Eliza Fricker - author, illustrator & consultant for PDA, autism and learning.

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Naomi Fisher offers webinars for parents and professionals, often with a focus on Autism, anxiety and school attendance.

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Dr Naomi Fisher is a clinical psychologist, author and speaker specialising in parenting, mental health issues in children, autism and trauma. She runs EMDR Basic Training and Refresher Day courses. Dr Abigail Fisher is an education psychologist specialising in Special Educational Needs (SEN), EHCPs, EOTAS. We create courses and webinars for parents and professionals.

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EBSA workbook school thoughts and feelings

EBSA is Emotionally based school avoidance. Pupils who struggle to come to school or are non attenders. This might have an emotional cause or a mental health cause. We also have EBSA Workbook School difficulties and EBSA Workbook Coping with school worries on the website.

This workbook is aimed at KS2 Primary Pupils. Age 7 to 11.

Thoughts, feelings, physical feelings and behaviours(actions). How are these linked when it comes to school?

The pupil may have negative thoughts about school which leads to difficult feelings, physical sensations and the pupil wants to avoid going to school so doesn't go. The cycle can continue.

This workbook will help the pupil to identify their thoughts, inspect them, challenge them and change them. This will help them to have more comfortable feelings and may help them to get back into school.

Work through the workbook together. There are sheets to support such as lots of feeling words, suggestions for thoughts both positive and negative, thought challenging questions and examples of how positive and negative thoughts impact on feelings, physical sensations and behaviours.

Every activity should be easy to follow with adult support. At the end of the workbook the pupil will hopefully understand that link between their thoughts and behaviours.

Remind them that every one of those can be changed - thoughts, feelings, physical feelings and behaviours. The focus, however is on changing thoughts in this workbook.

To compliment this resource there is a diary to take away - print as many sheets as you require. I would suggest 2 weeks worth to see how they get on monitoring their thoughts and feelings then sharing those with an adult to get support.

The EBSA workbook school thoughts and feelings pack contains:

15 page workbook

Thoughts and feeling journal sheet with cover

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EBSA Workbook School Thoughts and Feelings - Item 571 - Elsa Support

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EBSA workbook school thoughts and feelings is all about identifying, challenging and changing thoughts to help positive feelings.

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Updated: Aug 30, 2023

When children don't want to go to school most of us buy into the widespread assumption that improving their attendance is the answer, a notion that has been heavily promoted by the current children's commissioner . It offers a neat 'solution' for everyone invested in 'solving' this problem.

This is because, in the words of Stephanie Sewell , school as we know it makes no sense in the minds of more and more of our young people. Or, for that matter, in the minds of the teachers leaving the profession in droves.

1.4 million children sought mental health support in 2022. Half of the 10,000 15-16 year olds surveyed by The Edge Foundation see school as something to 'get through.' while others who had left mainstream school were mostly 'thriving.'

A child's school distress has a 'devastating' impact on parents' mental health. Despite the increasing prevalence of families struggling with this, often parents feel alone, ashamed and convinced that they've failed. Parents tell me their own need to be perceived as 'good' and to comply with what professionals ask of them gets in the way of them acting in their child's best interests. Taking a child off roll and going it alone feels too big a leap for many or is practically impossible.

When children don't want to go to school most of us buy into the widespread assumption that improving their attendance is the answer, a notion that has been heavily promoted by the current children's commissioner . It offers a neat 'solution' for everyone invested in 'solving' this problem.

This is because, in the words of Stephanie Sewell , school as we know it makes no sense in the minds of more and more of our young people. Or, for that matter, in the minds of the teachers leaving the profession in droves.

1.4 million children sought mental health support in 2022. Half of the 10,000 15-16 year olds surveyed by The Edge Foundation see school as something to 'get through.' while others who had left mainstream school were mostly 'thriving.'

A child's school distress has a 'devastating' impact on parents' mental health. Despite the increasing prevalence of families struggling with this, often parents feel alone, ashamed and convinced that they've failed. Parents tell me their own need to be perceived as 'good' and to comply with what professionals ask of them gets in the way of them acting in their child's best interests. Taking a child off roll and going it alone feels too big a leap for many or is practically impossible.

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Flexischooling: a case for enabling more children to go to school less often

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At the time of writing, 27.5% of secondary school pupils have been persistently absent this academic year. Huge numbers of children are unable to access full time mainstream school for a multitude of complex reasons.There is growing consensus that this is an issue that is not going away and affected schools, parents and children are under intense pressure as a result.

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Webinar exploring autistic young people and persistent absenteeism in mainstream secondary schools

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Webinar exploring autistic young people and persistent absenteeism in mainstream secondary schools

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34 minute YouTube video by Dr.Ruth Moyse

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GRRAND Webinar Series: Autistic young people and persistent school absenteeism, Dr Ruth Moyse

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Action planning to support school attendance: using the SPIRAL framework

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Action planning to support school attendance: using the SPIRAL framework

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The SPIRAL framework (Sawyer & Collingwood, 2023) provides a set of solution-focused principles that professionals can refer to when designing support for children with EBSA challenges

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Action planning to support school attendance: using the SPIRAL framework - edpsy.org.uk

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Currently, we find ourselves in an ‘attendance crisis’ (Children’s commissioner, 2023) with more children than ever feeling unable to attend…

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All Warrington schools have access to this comprehensive online training

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EdPsychEd | EBSA Horizons School Training

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An online CPD course for teachers and school staff on Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA). This training includes assessments, models, and interventions strategies, and shifts the narrative from 'school refusal'. Developing our skills to support children experiencing persistent absenteeism.

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YouTube video regarding the behaviour and mental health in schools report

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YouTube video regarding the behaviour and mental health in schools report

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Punitive approached to behaviour management are harming CYP's mental health.

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Children and Young People's Mental Health Coaltion

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Behaviour and mental health in schools report

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EBSA Horizon's Ladder of Strength and Courage recourse

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EBSA Horizon's Ladder of Strength and Courage recourse

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This website contains guidance which is led by representatives from Local Authorities, Health services, the Third Sector and Parent Carer Forums

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Barriers to Education backpack tool to support CYP to express needs and feelings

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Barriers to Education backpack tool to support CYP to express needs and feelings

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This and other resources are available from the barriers to education website

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Barriers to Education CYP Sensory Audit Tool

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Barriers to Education CYP Sensory Audit Tool

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This and more resources available from the barriers to education website

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Reducing barriers to education early identification of needs tool for schools

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Reducing barriers to education early identification of needs tool for schools

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Spectrum Gaming inclusive environment toolkit

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Spectrum Gaming inclusive environment toolkit

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WARMTH Framework Whole School Audit tool

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WARMTH Framework Whole School Audit tool

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This document was created by Salford Educational Psychology service in conjunction with Barriers to Education

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Attachment and Trauma Aware Approaches in Education (ARC)

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Attachment and Trauma Aware Approaches in Education (ARC)

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Why start here?

Learning starts with attachment. Attachment theory explains how children build an internal working model of themselves and the world through relationships. Trauma, abuse, neglect, separation and bereavement have adverse effects, which means the child and adult's sense of safety and relationships need to be rebuilt in order for them to learn.

The Attachment Research Community (ARC) supports schools and settings to develop best attachment and trauma aware practice. ARC is a charitable organisation set up in 2017 with a mission to support all schools to be attachment and trauma aware by 2025.

The ARC supports the development of best attachment and trauma aware practice in education in order to benefit everyone's mental health and well-being. ARC supports members to develop and embed their practice.

The ARC was founded by Virtual Heads and Academics who saw how attachment and trauma aware approaches made a difference to young people and adults in schools and settings.

By joining The ARC you will become part of a growing community of schools, settings and many more who are all committed to developing best practice by sharing their learning about attachment and trauma.

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Attachment & Trauma Aware approaches in education | ARC

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Learning starts with attachment. Attachment theory explains how children build an internal working model of themselves and the world through relationships. Trauma, abuse, neglect, separation and bereavement have adverse effects, which means the child and adult's sense of safety and relationships need to be rebuilt in order for them to learn.

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Self Determination Theory in the Classroom

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Self Determination Theory in the Classroom

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self determination in the classroom hayley prickett - Search Videos

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Partnerships for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools (PINS) programme

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Partnerships for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools (PINS) programme

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Partnerships for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools (PINS) programme

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This information is for those taking part in the partnerships for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools (PINS) programme, including:

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This pyramid highlights the support available for each level of EBSA within Warrington. Support for all, support for some and support for a few.

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Directory of Children and Young Peoples Health Apps

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Directory of Children and Young Peoples Health Apps

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Find trusted apps for anxiety, low mood, sleep, and more – handpicked for children, young people and parents/carers

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EBSA Family training for schools and professionals (March 2026)

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EBSA Family training for schools and professionals (March 2026)

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This training emphasises a multi-systemic approach to supporting children who are facing EBSA. School staff will take a closer look at the new EBSA Family Horizons online course, which can be shared with parents and carers upon completion of this training event.

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EBSA Family – a schools toolkit for supporting parents who’s children face EBSA: March 2026

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*please note, at least one member of school staff who attends this training should be in a position to organise and facilitate face to face family coffee mornings (or similar) with an EBSA theme,

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Year 6 moving up to high school guide for parents and carers (NHS)

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Year 6 moving up to high school guide for parents and carers (NHS)

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Year six moving up to high school a wellbeing guide for parents and carers