EBSA

Emotional-Based School Avoidance Support in Surrey

If your child is struggling to attend school, you're not alone — and this is not simply about discipline or motivation. My background as a primary school teacher and SENCO gives me a unique insight into this area.

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You might recognise some of this

Your child experiences physical symptoms (stomach aches, tears, panic) before or during the school day
Mornings have become a battle, with your child refusing to leave the house or the car
Your child copes at school but collapses emotionally once home
School attendance has dropped and you're feeling pressure from school or local authority
You suspect there's an underlying anxiety, sensory, or neurodivergent cause behind the avoidance

Understanding EBSA

Before training as a counsellor, I spent almost 15 years as a primary school teacher and SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator). This background gives me a unique insight into the challenges children face within the education system and a deep understanding of the pressures and experiences that can shape a child's wellbeing and sense of self.

Emotional-based school avoidance is often closely linked to neurodivergence — including ADHD, autism, and PDA — and to anxiety more broadly. It is rarely about a single cause, and rarely resolved by simply insisting a child attend.

How Counselling Can Help

I offer support to parents to help them understand their child's experience, improve communication with school, and develop strategies that work for their family's unique dynamic. For children and young people, I help them process the anxiety underneath the avoidance, build confidence, and develop emotional regulation skills.

Home education support is also available for families who are exploring this as an option.

Ready to Talk?

A free initial telephone consultation is offered so we can chat about what you are looking for, with no pressure to commit.

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