Information and Resource for Parents and Schools about School Anxiety / EBSA

Research suggests that we can help children feel less anxious by finding way to increase their confidence in their ability to cope with the dangers they predict will befall them. One way we can do this is by helping them to recognise their strengths. But how do we do this? 

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Have you ever heard of spoon theory? It’s an idea that was originally applied to people with chronic fatigue, but I think it’s also a fun and easily understandable metaphor that can be used to support young people with school anxiety, particularly those on the autistic spectrum.

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It's sensible to talk to your child's teachers as soon as possible if your child is worried about attending school.  However, sometimes these conversations don't go as well as we want, leaving parents feeling frustrated, invalidated and helpless.  Is there anything we can do to make...

Some children and young people can explain in great detail what worries them at school, but many others struggle to clearly articulate their fears. When adults don’t know what young people are worried about, it’s hard for them to know what kind of support needs to be to put into...

I’ve spoken to lots of teachers about school anxiety and one of the things they tell me is that it can be very difficult to work out whether a child’s attendance difficulties are due to the child being anxious, being ill, or just not wanting to come to school for reasons unrelated to...

In a previous article I gave some suggestions for what to say to your child when their anxiety had sent them spiralling into fight-fight response.  By empathising with them, validating their feelings and offering your support, you help your child feel understood and more in control.  ...

Anxiety can turn the most sweet-natured, compliant child into a ferocious whirlwind of emotion, sometimes accompanied by very challenging behaviours. But it’s not their fault! It’s the way biology has programmed us humans to work.  How can we help our children to feel calmer and...

One of the reasons why the start of a new school year can be challenging for children with school anxiety because the support they had last year that helped them feel safe (that great relationship with the class teaching assistant, a teacher who understood them inside out, or supportive...

It’s coming up to the end of the holidays but not all children will be looking forward to returning to school.  Points of transitions, such as the start of a new academic year, are often triggers for worries about school to become worse. 

Why is that?

One reason is that...