Tel: 07886 045515
e-mail: talk@rozscounsellingcorner.co.uk
School-based anxiety counselling is becoming an increasingly vital service for children and families across the UK. As more young people experience emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), many parents are finding themselves navigating overwhelming decisions around attendance, wellbeing, and in some cases, home education. With the right therapeutic support, children can begin to feel safe, understood, and empowered, whether they remain in school or step away from it, families can find ways to manage school refusal with greater confidence and support.
Understanding school based anxiety and emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA)
School based anxiety is intense worry or distress linked to going to school, sometimes called emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) or “school refusal.” It can show up as:
While anxiety is the most common driver, research highlights overlapping root causes, bullying, trauma, sensory overwhelm, special educational needs (SEND) and major life changes, all of which can heighten school based anxiety and feed into EBSA.
Nearly 30 % of 12- to 18-year-olds said they had avoided school in the past year because of school based anxiety.
A large-scale study found that parents of children in “school distress” rated the experience more stressful than a serious injury or illness, with half developing new mental-health conditions themselves.
The youth mental-health charity stem4 links rising absenteeism to untreated anxiety and depression, underscoring the need for school based anxiety counselling that can manage school refusal proactively.
These figures have climbed sharply since the 2020 COVID pandemic, and they don’t just represent truancy; many of these children want to learn, but the school environment feels unmanageable and unsafe.
Official Department for Education (DfE) data show the number of electively home-educated (EHE) children in England hit 111,700 on census day in autumn 2024, a 21 % jump in a single year. Over the whole 2023/24 academic year, 153,300 children spent some time in home education, up from 126,100 the previous year. Home education and anxiety clearly go hand in hand for many families searching for relief from emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA).
The Children’s Commissioner notes that many families feel pushed out of mainstream schooling by anxiety, unmet SEND needs or bullying. Earlier DfE surveys reported a 78 % rise, with “mental-health and anxiety issues” the fastest-growing reason parents give for choosing EHE. Effective school based anxiety counselling can help families decide if remaining in school, transitioning to hybrid timetables, or embracing home education and anxiety-informed support is the best step.
Emotional toll: Chronic stress can feed into low self-esteem, depression and social withdrawal, limiting friendships and hobbies.
Academic impact: Gaps in attendance can lead to falling behind, exam fear and a belief that “I’m not clever enough.”
Family stress: Parents often juggle work, finances and advocacy battles, reporting high anxiety and burnout.
Future opportunities: Prolonged emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) can affect GCSE results, college choices and confidence in new environments.
A child-centred space.
As an integrative counsellor, I (Roz) use talking, creative play and gentle CBT-style strategies to deliver school based anxiety counselling that helps children:
Home-educated young people may still carry trauma from past school experiences or feel isolated from peers. Sessions can focus on:
By working on these areas, counselling can manage school refusal patterns that sometimes resurface even after a move to home education.
Parents and carers often need their own space to process guilt, exhaustion or uncertainty about next steps. Individual therapy can help you:
Note: I work with either the child or the adult individually (not together in joint sessions) so each person gets dedicated, confidential support.
Notice the signs: frequent headaches, emotional outbursts and Sunday-night dread can signal emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA).
Talk early: involve the school SENCO or pastoral lead; proactive planning and school based anxiety counselling often manage school refusal more effectively.
Seek professional help: counselling offers tools and a non-judgemental space for both children and adults facing home education and anxiety choices.
Explore all options: part-time timetables, sensory breaks, or Elective Home Education may each play a role, there’s no one-size-fits-all path.
I offer face-to-face counselling in Ross-on-Wye and secure online sessions across the UK. Whether your child is still in school, has transitioned to home education and anxiety feels overwhelming, or you’re an adult feeling the ripple effects, I’m here to help.
Together we can manage school refusal and rebuild confidence through targeted school based anxiety counselling.
Send a message or book a free 15-minute call to discuss how we can work together.
References
Not Fine in School – Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
https://notfineinschool.org.uk
Stem4 – Teen Mental Health Charity: School Avoidance
https://stem4.org.uk/resources/school-avoidance/
Square Peg & IPSEA – The Human Cost of School Avoidance
https://www.squarepeginroundhole.co.uk/the-human-cost-report
BBC News – School Refusal: Parents Say Anxiety Led to Home Education
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-66379271
Children’s Commissioner – Attendance Audit: Voices of Children Missing from School
https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/report/voices-of-children-missing-from-education/
Department for Education (DfE) – Elective Home Education Data: Autumn 2024
https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education
DfE Parent Survey – Why Parents Choose Home Education
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-the-experiences-of-home-education-in-england
YoungMinds – School Anxiety and Avoidance
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/school-anxiety-and-refusal/