Bradford Sendiass

21/08/2026

Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)

What is EBSA?
Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) describes when a child or young person has severe difficulty attending school due to emotional distress. It is not truancy or bad behaviour. The avoidance is driven by anxiety, fear, or overwhelming emotional needs. Children with EBSA often want to attend school but feel unable to cope.

Common Signs of EBSA
• High anxiety or distress before school
• Refusal or inability to leave home or enter school
• Physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, or nausea
• Panic attacks, meltdowns, or shutdowns
• Irregular attendance, lateness, or early leaving
• Improved mood during weekends or holidays
Not all children will experience all of the above, and this is not an exhausted list.

Possible Causes
EBSA usually develops due to a combination of factors, including anxiety, bullying, social difficulties, academic pressure, sensory overload, school transitions, trauma, or unmet special educational needs such as autism or ADHD.

What EBSA Is Not
EBSA is not laziness, poor parenting, defiance, or truancy. Punitive responses often increase anxiety and make attendance more difficult.

Why Early Support Matters
Without support, EBSA can worsen over time and negatively affect attendance, mental health, and self-esteem. Early, compassionate intervention leads to better long-term outcomes.

How Schools Can Help
• Build trusting relationships with key adults
• Offer flexible or reduced timetables
• Support gradual reintegration
• Provide quiet or low-stimulation spaces
• Reduce academic pressure where possible
• Work collaboratively with families

How Parents and Carers Can Help
• Acknowledge and validate the child’s feelings
• Avoid forcing or threatening attendance
• Maintain calm and predictable routines
• Communicate openly with the school
• Celebrate small steps and progress

Key Message
EBSA is a mental health and wellbeing issue, not a behaviour problem. With understanding, flexibility, and appropriate support, most children and young people can successfully re-engage with education.

Legal Framework Relevant to Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
(England – UK)
EBSA is not a diagnosis in law, but children experiencing EBSA are protected under several education, equality, and safeguarding duties.

Education Act 1996
Section 7 – Duty to Secure Education
Parents must ensure a child receives a suitable full-time education, but:
This does not automatically mean school attendance
Education must be suitable to the child’s age, ability, aptitude, and needs
If a child is unable to attend school due to emotional or mental health needs, schools and local authorities must consider alternatives.
Section 19 – Education Otherwise Than at School (EOTAS)
Local Authorities have a legal duty to provide suitable education when a child:
• Cannot attend school due to illness, anxiety, or mental health needs
• Is out of school for 15 days or more (consecutive or cumulative)
• EBSA linked to anxiety or emotional distress can trigger Section 19 duties.

Equality Act 2010
Children experiencing EBSA may meet the legal definition of disability if they have:
• A mental health condition (e.g. anxiety disorder)
• That has a substantial and long-term impact on daily activities
Legal Duties on Schools:
• Schools must not discriminate
• Schools must make reasonable adjustments
• Schools must avoid policies that place the child at a disadvantage
Penalising attendance, using fines, or rigid policies may be unlawful if reasonable adjustments are not made.

Children and Families Act 2014
This Act underpins SEND law.
Emotional and mental health needs fall under Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)
A child with EBSA may require:
• SEN Support
• An Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA)
Failure to assess or support may breach statutory duties.

SEND Code of Practice (2015)
Schools must:
• Use a graduated response (Assess–Plan–Do–Review)
• Identify unmet needs early
• Work collaboratively with families
• Avoid escalating attendance enforcement where needs are unmet
The Code explicitly recognises mental health and anxiety as barriers to learning.

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)
Persistent non-attendance linked to distress:
• May indicate mental health risk
• Requires safeguarding-informed responses
• Should not be treated purely as a behaviour or compliance issue

Working Together to Safeguard Children
EBSA cases may require:
• Multi-agency working
• Early Help or targeted support
• A focus on child wellbeing, not punishment

Attendance Guidance (DfE)
Current guidance states:
• Attendance enforcement should be a last resort
• Schools should understand why a child is absent
• Mental health must be considered before escalation

Key Legal Message
Children should not be penalised for inability to attend school due to emotional distress.
Schools and local authorities have a legal duty to:
• Identify underlying needs
• Make reasonable adjustments
• Provide suitable education
• Act in the child’s best interests
• EBSA is a needs-led issue, not a compliance failure.

For further information and advice, contact Barnardo’s SENDIASS:
Telephone: 01274 513300
Email: [email protected]
Write to: Bradford SENDIASS
40–42 Listerhills Science Park
Campus Road
Bradford
BD7 1HR
Or visit our website for more useful information:
www.barnardos.org.uk/bradfordsendiass

20/08/2026

There are many misconceptions around what SEND support is available for children under compulsory school age. Here is some information about what support may be available.

For more information about this topic, follow the link below to our Bradford SENDIASS resources page:

https://barnardossendiass.org.uk/bradford-sendiass/bradford-resources-page/ #:~:text=parnet%20resource

20/08/2026

Bradford Local Offer August 2026 Newsletter is now available:

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKBMD/bulletins/422a523



• Changing Places provide fully accessible toilets and equipment located in many areas, which can be helpful if you want to plan a day out or trip away. Search on the Changing Places website.
• Nell Bank Discover Days - spaces still available on Thursday 6, and Friday 7 August (10am - 3pm). Nell Bank has accessible facilities. Book here.
• Airedale & Wharfedale Autism Resource (AWARE) summer guide, 2026 is here.
• Keighley Gala, 8 August (11am - 3pm) at Cliffe Castle. Face painting, donkey rides, fun fair, balloon modelling and more.
• Read the July edition of the Bradford district Living Well newsletter, here.
• Bradford By the Sea - A giant playbox with seaside themed toys and games will be in City Park from 17 - 27 August (11am - 4pm). Read more.
• Every Thursday during the school holidays look out for little toy ducks found hiding at Roberts Park, Saltaire. You can follow Bradford District Parks on Facebook.
• FoodSavers Cookery School is located on the middle floor of Darley Street Market. The school offers cookery sessions for people of all ages and abilities. Find classes.
• The Beacon (with activities from dance to theatre and comedy) will be in Wibsey park for the whole month of August! Both free and ticketed events.
• The Bradford Family Film Festival will run every Wednesday at 11am throughout August, showing at Darley Street Market's Big Screen.
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Join us in-between our monthly newsletters for all the latest news from across Bradford district. Follow our Local Offer page.
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The Summer Reading Challenge is here!

The Summer Reading Challenge is back! Available to children aged from 4-12 years the challenge aims to develop confidence and a lifelong love for reading.
Children can read anything they enjoy and set their own reading goals. Along the way, they’ll collect rewards, including an exclusive Storytime magazine, stickers and, after completing the challenge, a certificate and medal (subject to availability).
This year’s theme celebrates rhythm, music and storytelling, with a range of fun, free activities taking place in libraries across the district. From lively workshops to creative sessions, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Read the full events booklet here!
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Emotional Based School Avoidance support


Is your child struggling to go to school due to feelings of worry or stress? Are you unsure what to do? Then come along to a friendly and supportive parent support group run by the Educational Psychology team.
You’ll find a safe space to share and listen to other parents, get ideas to help, and learn about what you can do to support your child, and what you can expect from school. You will need to be able to attend all four sessions. To book, email: [email protected]
• Wednesdays - 30 Sept, 7, 14, 21 Oct (Online)
• Wednesdays - 11, 18, 25 Nov, 2 Dec (Cafe West, Allerton)
If your child is struggling to attend school, please contact your school initially and ask for support and visit our One Minute Guide on Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).
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'SEND One Plan' diary dates
The SEND Partnership is working together across education, health, and care to improve services for children and young people in Bradford District.
There is a clear and joined-up plan called the SEND One Plan, and regular events are taking place, chaired by the Parents' Forum for Bradford and Airedale (PFBA) to give parents and carers the opportunity to ask questions and get answers from services. Upcoming diary dates:
• Thursday 10, September and Thursday 19, November (10am to 12 noon). Venue to be confirmed.
The Bradford Local Area SEND Partnership continues to work with the Department for Education and local families to finalise the Local Area Reform Plan for the implementation of the SEND Reforms in Bradford District.
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Families enjoy Community Visual Impairment event


More than 100 people attended a special community visual impairment event at Hanson Academy.
The successful event, which was hosted by Bradford Council’s Visual Impairment Team and took place on Saturday 11 July, was attended by children, young people, families and carers as well as professionals.
A variety of organisations supported the event, including Everybody's Cycling, Amber Trust, Blind in Business, LOOK UK, Bradford College, Early Help family hubs and the Wilberforce Trust, offering information about local and national support services.
The event provided opportunities for people to get information and support, as well as take part in activities and make social connections within the visual impairment community.
Families enjoyed a range of accessible activities and equipment, with Goalball proving particularly popular and helping young people build confidence.
There were inclusive cycling sessions from Everybody's Cycling, music opportunities showcased by Amber Trust, and an inspiring panel discussion from Blind in Business on education, employment and independent living.
Families also heard from a parent who shared her personal experiences and promoted a local visual impairment family playgroup, emphasising the value of peer support and community connections.
Read about The Visual Impairment (VI) team, part of the Children’s Sensory and Physical Needs Service who support children and young people up to the age of 25 years. Local Offer's One Minute Guide to visual impairment.
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Young people help decide funded Short Break activities


Young people from Southfield Special School have played a meaningful role in helping decide which Short Break activities will be funded, ensuring that commissioning decisions reflect what matters most to young people with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
As part of a commissioning activity, members of the Southfield School Council reviewed proposed Short Break services and shared their views. The young people rated each service based on how fun they felt the activities would be, and whether they felt the voices of young people had been genuinely valued in the development of the activities.
Their feedback formed a significant part of the decision-making process, with the views of young people accounting for 30 per cent of the overall decision on which activities would receive funding.
This approach demonstrates a strong commitment to listening to children and young people with SEND and valuing their lived experience. By involving young people directly, commissioners are better able to fund activities that are not only inclusive and supportive, but also enjoyable and shaped by young people themselves.
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A graphic showing the Local Offer branding with the Family Hubs logo along with 'Best Start in Life' and the text 'SEND support in Bradford district's Family Hubs.'
Summer SEND sessions at Rainbow Family Hub
Keighley/Shipley Family Hub (Rainbow) is running parent-led fun SEND sessions (9.30am - 11.30am) on the following dates:
• Tuesday, 4 August - arts and crafts with storytime.
• Tuesday, 11 August - baking and food tasting.
• Tuesday, 18 August - sensory play.
SEND family fun session
• Wednesday, 26 August (9.30am - 11am) Keighley/Shipley Family Hub (Owlet).
SEND Marketplace drop-in events
Taking place monthly at different venues across the district, come along and speak to specialist SEND services who can provide advice, support and signposting.
• Monday 24 August (9.30am - 12.30 pm) at Bradford West Family Hub (Farcliffe).
For further Information about all groups, visit the Family Hub's timetables (SEND activities highlighted in Orange).

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Parents and carers co-produce needs assessments


Representatives from the Children and Families Trust, along with a Designated Social Care Officer, met with parent and carers and parent/carer group members to review and revise a new draft 'parent carer needs assessment' template.
The work is still in its early stages of development, but initial discussions have included representatives from SNOOP, the Parents' Forum for Bradford and Airedale (PFBA), Carers’ Resource and a group of parent/carer SEND Ambassadors.
This work is in recognition that there are additional pressures and challenges for parent/carers who have children with SEND, and that parents and carers have their own needs which may need additional consideration and support.
Where there is social care involvement, social care practitioners will consider additional pressures and challenges on the parent/carer, considering and recognising the context and impact of SEND in any social care assessment for the child.
This is an ongoing area of work and if you would like to get involved in service design and delivery as a parent/carer representative, email: SENDT&[email protected] or the Parents' Forum for Bradford and Airedale (PFBA), email: [email protected].
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Free summer fun in Bradford District parks!


The FREE Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) parks programme is back with a fantastic range of activities for children aged 5 -14 years of age. No booking required, simply register your child on arrival and join in the fun. There are a number of upcoming dates at parks across the Bradford district for sports, inflatables, dance, arts and crafts, adventure play and much more!
Parents and carers must stay and supervise children throughout the session. Children receiving benefits-related free school meals can also receive a free healthy packed lunch while supplies last.
• Tuesday, 4 August – Roberts Park
• Wednesday, 5 August – Lister Park (National Play Day)
• Thursday, 6 August – Cliffe Castle, Keighley
• Tuesday, 11 August – Lund Park, Keighley
• Wednesday, 12 August – Wibsey Park
• Thursday, 13 August – West Park
• Tuesday, 18 August – Peel Park
• Wednesday, 19 August – Horton Park
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All Aboard! Earn BetterPoints exploring Bradford this August


BetterPoints launches All Aboard! A month-long invitation to explore West Yorkshire by bus and train, and get rewarded for it.
Every 5 to 15 year old travels free on participating buses this August, so it's the perfect time for families to get out and about. Adults can also get BetterPoints by recording their journeys in the free BetterPoints app.
Bradford has five of the 25 bonus locations: Ilkley Lido, Saltaire, East Riddlesden Hall, National Science and Media Museum and Bradford Industrial Museum. Visit them by bus, train, or under your own steam, walking, wheeling and cycling all count and you'll earn bonus points, and be entered into prize draws.
You can download BetterPoints for free from Google Play or the App Store, or visit westyorks.betterpoints.uk to find out more.
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Spread the word about SEND news!
If you've been forwarded this newsletter, you can sign up or share the link with friends and family to receive this newsletter straight to your inbox. You can also 'like' our Bradford Local Offer page. for all the latest news and info.

SEND Local Offer News - August 2026 View this email in your browser August, 2026 Changing Places provide fully accessible toilets and equipment located in many areas, which can be helpful if you want to plan a day out or trip away. Search on the Changing Places website. Nell Bank Discover Days - spa...

19/08/2026

SEND support in Family Hubs

https://fyi.bradford.gov.uk/bsfh/what-is-bsfh/send-support-in-family-hubs/

19/08/2026

Need support at a school meeting?

The SENDIASS PSA worker can support parents/carers of children or young people with SEND, by accompanying them during one-off meetings in schools, which may include SEN meetings, annual reviews, other school support meetings.

PSA support is available from 9am to 11.30 Monday to Friday, and 1pm to 4.30pm, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.

PSA workers may offer a preparation session at some point prior to the school meeting. This session can be face to face, online, telephone call, or by email exchange. The session will usually last for 1-2 hours. Parents who qualify for this will have a clear understanding of the advice given but may lack the confidence or knowledge to complete the task independently. The parent/carer will be able to communicate but may need support to express their views.

The SENDIASS PSA worker can do this by:
• Providing one-off support
• listening to your views and concerns.
• offering impartial support
• helping you explore your options and rights.
• helping you make informed decisions.
• Helping you to get your voice across.
• ensuring parents/carers understand what points are being made by professionals and what decisions have been reached.
• clarifying what the parents/carers have said if others have not understood.
• if a parent/carer is overwhelmed and feels unable to continue, and only if they wish. Speak for them, using a list already prepared by the parent/carer and worker during a preparation meeting which has taken place prior to the meeting.

Things the SENDIASS PSA worker cannot do:
• provide ongoing support.
• Give their own opinion.
• Make a decision for you.

After the school meeting, if you require more support or advice, you must ring back to our duty service on 01274 513300, and a duty worker will call you back within a few days.

We will reassess your enquiry each time you speak to a duty worker and decide what level of support is needed. You can call into our duty service as many times as you require, and a duty worker will call you back each time to offer telephone support in the first instance.

18/08/2026

⭐️ A service update for parents, carers and families - We wanted to provide a clear and reassuring update about our service, particularly for families who may not have seen our previous update. ⭐️

Following a period earlier this year where staff sickness affected our response times, we are pleased to confirm that we are now back to our full staff capacity and staff have successfully worked through the backlog of enquiries. We have also successfully recruited two new volunteers.

Our current response times are:
☎️ Initial enquiries: currently 2 working days (Our contracted target is 5 working days.)
📝 Existing cases: caseworkers are currently responding to their allocated cases within 3 working days, which is in line with our contracted target and parental agreements for casework.
📧 Where a member of staff is on annual leave, their out-of-office message provides their expected return date and details of other sources of support available during their absence.

We also want to reassure families that every enquiry received by the service is acknowledged with a confirmation email which includes an up to date estimated response time, so you can be confident we have received your message and will action it.

Most importantly, we are here to help. We are a statutory service and remain committed to providing confidential, independent and impartial information and advice to children, young people, parents and carers.

We know that contacting a service for support can be difficult, and we understand how important it is for families to know when they can expect a response. We are pleased that we are currently exceeding our contracted response target for initial enquiries and staff are working hard to maintain this.

We are aware that some information about our service and staffing levels has recently been shared elsewhere which does not accurately reflect the current position. We therefore want to make sure families have the facts directly from us.

Demand for the service is always a challenge, but we are committed to supporting families and to being open and transparent when communicating with families about this. If you have an enquiry or need support, please contact us directly rather than relying on information shared on social media. We will always do our best to give you accurate and up-to-date information.

Please feel free to share this update so that families who use or may need our service in future have access to the correct information.

Thankyou
Debbie and the SENDIASS Team 💚

18/08/2026

Your child may have got out of a routine for school during a long period off, such a the summer holidays, but here is what you can do to help establish new, positive routines to help them readjust.
Going back to school is a really exciting time for a lot of children, but it can also be a source of anxiety. We've put some tips together, to help you and your child readjust to the school routine and minimise the negative impacts.
For Tips for keeping a healthy routine for school, visit our website: https://www.barnardos.org.uk/get-support/support-for-parents-and-carers/further-support/support-going-back-to-school/transitioning-back-school-establishing-routines?fbclid=IwY2xjawTqdThwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRME1tbFlTVkRJOWVNZTl4dTZzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEelwftrH0Gb8S8b8xuyGwgs3QFCfx7T473BVmo_GEK-zAyFfcDW3JwJH75Rxw_aem_CxMYCIQrfYDSdW7pmLyBxA

Read our advice and support in establishing new routines after a period of time off school or the summer holidays.

18/08/2026

https://youtu.be/kqKtkZzbfWM?si=9dqrxwIRO3fFOKBb

This video is aimed at young people who have or may have special ed...

18/08/2026

🌈 Join us for ‘Rainbow Fest’ Wednesday 19th August, 1-3pm
Rainbow Family Hub, Braithwaite Grove, BD22 6JB

We will have fun activities and play for children of all ages - and for those of you with under 5s who will soon be starting school, there will be additional fun activities to help with those small steps to starting school reception 🤗

17/08/2026

16,000 children are now educated otherwise than in school.
That is a 38.8% rise in a single year and behind every number is a child whose individual needs cannot be appropriately supported in a school setting.
Families with children on EOTIS packages often face extraordinary challenges - many are living with severe anxiety, complex mental health needs or significant sensory differences.
Every child deserves legal protection, wherever they are educated.
Read the full blog here:
https://www.ipsea.org.uk/.../the-stories-behind-the-stats

Shared by IPSEA August 2026, see link:

https://www.facebook.com/IPSEAcharity/posts/pfbid02Uznj3uUewQTfzXGXXE2G7APVNF6QiV7SSD2FqLHAYe1kEREHwkYbjYZZsiHDUTRal?__tn__=%2CO*F