Guides for parents
Clear answers on school avoidance, written for parents in England who need to act quickly.
School avoidance & EBSNA: your rights
The four laws that protect your child, in plain English.
What is EBSA? Emotionally based school avoidance explained
EBSA (or EBSNA) means a child can't attend school because of anxiety or distress. What it means, the signs, what causes it and what parents can do.
Child refusing to go to school? What to do this week
Your child is refusing to go to school because of anxiety. A calm, step-by-step plan for UK parents, including what to say to school and how to avoid fines.
Can I be fined if my child has anxiety and can't go to school?
How school attendance fines work in England, why anxiety absence should be authorised as illness, and how to protect your family from penalty notices.
School absence codes explained: Code I, Code O, C2 and more
What school attendance codes mean for parents in England – Code I for illness, Code O unauthorised, C2 for reduced timetables – and how to check yours.
How to get a reduced timetable for school anxiety
A reduced (part-time) timetable can help an anxious child return to school. What the rules say, what to ask for and how to stop it dragging on.
Section 19: getting education at home when your child is too ill for school
If your child has missed 15+ days through illness, the council must arrange suitable education under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996. How to ask.
EBSA and autism: when masking at school leads to collapse
Why autistic children are more likely to experience EBSA, what masking burnout looks like, and the adjustments that help them stay connected to school.
Can a child be signed off school with anxiety in the UK?
There's no formal 'sick note' for school, but anxiety absence can and should be authorised as illness. What GPs can do and what to give the school.