Addressing EBSNA in school

Effective support requires thorough assessment of individual need, collaboration with families, and tailored planning of provisions. The toolkit is designed to assist schools in this process and covers key areas to guide support for children and young people dealing with EBSA.

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1. Preventative measures 

2. Early identification tools 

3. Working in collaboration with parents 

4. Working with children to understand their EBSNA 

5. Developing reintegration plans 

The process of developing an understanding and planning can take months and even years in some cases. As such, it is important to consider how to meet needs in the shorter term whilst making longer terms plans. 

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Adjustments, support, and provision 

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Planning to support pupils with EBSNA should align with the SEN Code of Practice. When a child struggles to attend school due to emotional reasons or unmet underlying needs, adjustments, support, or provision may need to be increased. This support can range from short-term to sustained changes in the learning environment. Early identification of needs is crucial, and children experiencing EBSNA should often be placed on the SEN register. Schools can use a graduated response to tailor their support, adapting to the level of need as the presentation of EBSNA changes.

Schools should also ensure they are applying the Ordinarily Available provision guidance, thus effectively meeting a broader range students educational needs and reducing the potential for student emotional distress and disengagement.

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https://search3.openobjects.com/mediamanager/wandsworth/fsd/files/ordinarily_available_provision.pdf

 

Examples of reasonable adjustments 

• Differentiated learning approaches 

• Adjusted expectations in line with emotional needs 

• Allowing a child to start a few minutes earlier or later than their class 

• Appropriate positioning within the class to reduce the impact of sensory needs 

• Allowing a child to sit with a child they have an established relationship with 

• Not taking part in an activity or lesson which has been identified as particularly stressful until the child is more able to cope (through intervention or support) 

 

Examples of provision that might be ordinarily available 

• Quality first teaching (differentiated learning, extra check-ins with pupil) 

• Safe spaces for time out when a child is overwhelmed 

• Lunch time clubs away from the busy playground 

• Named adults in school for children to talk to about their worries 

• Social inclusion provision such as buddying, peer mentoring and structured play Examples of SEN provision 

• Targeted learning interventions (for example, literacy small group work) 

• Social skills intervention groups 

• Nurture groups or ELSA intervention 

• Psychoeducational sessions on anxiety management/relaxation techniques 

• A key adult to develop a relationship with the child and scaffold their access to challenging situations 

• TOOLS COMING SOON