EBSA toolkit
5. Assessing Risk and Resilience
Just as with poor mental health there have been factors identified that place children and young people at greater risk of EBSA. It is usually a combination of predisposing factors (e.g., educational setting, family, the child or young person) interacting with a change in circumstances which leads to the pattern of behaviour described as EBSA.
The exact nature of the predisposing vulnerability and the precipitating events will vary according to an individual child or young person’s unique set of characteristics, circumstances, and experiences, but it is still possible to identify factors associated with that vulnerability and the potential triggers leading to EBSA. Being alert to these factors in relation to an absence from education can act as an early warning sign enabling preventative action to be taken .
Example EBSA risk factors are in the What is EBSA section and the Profile of Risk of EBSA [229.1 KB] [docx] can be used to capture early indicators of risk during the assess, plan, do, review cycle.
Educational setting Factors
- Bullying (the most common educational setting factor)
- Difficulties in specific subject
- Transition to secondary educational setting, key stage or change of educational setting
- Structure of the educational setting day
- Academic demands/high levels of pressure and performance orientated classrooms
- Transport or journey to educational setting
- Exams
- Peer or staff relationship difficulties
Family Factors
- Separation and divorce or change in family dynamic
- Parents/carers physical and mental health problems
- Overprotective parenting style
- Dysfunctional family interactions
- Being the youngest child in the family
- Loss and Bereavement
- High levels of family stress
- Family history of EBSA
- Young carer
- Diverse cultural backgrounds
- Financial difficulties
Young Person Factors
- Temperamental style reluctance to interact and withdrawal from unfamiliar settings, people or objects
- Fear of failure and poor self confidence
- Physical illness
- Age (5-6, 11-12 & 13-14 years)
- Learning Difficulties, developmental problems or Autism Spectrum Condition if unidentified or unsupported
- Separation Anxiety from parent/carer
- Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
- Developmental Stages
Resilience
When working with individuals it is important to also identify and build areas of strength or resilience of the child, family and the educational setting which may help to ‘protect’ the child and promote attendance. This may include:
- Developing ambition, aspiration, and motivation
- Increasing confidence, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and value in themselves
- Developing feelings of safety, security, and a sense of belonging (particularly at the start of term) and evaluating this termly
- Having positive experiences where they can succeed e.g. work experience
- Holding positive relationships with peers or staff
- Feeling listened to and understood e.g. pupil voice
- Understanding the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviour e.g. through PSHE curriculum
- Identifying age related tools and strategies to promote resilience/self-management
- Willingness to work in partnership between educational setting, family, and external professionals
- Developing parenting skills and understanding e.g. through parent/carer coffee mornings/events
- Flexibility of approaches within educational setting, person centred listening to the voice of the child/young person
Early Identification
Education settings play a key role in the identification of children and young people who are currently experiencing or are at risk of EBSA. It is important for education settings to develop effective whole school systems to support children and young people, be vigilant to early indicators and employ a thorough assess, plan, do and review cycle placing the child or young person at the heart of the interventions . This includes sharing information appropriately during key transition points so that other staff or settings can continue the assess, plan, do, review cycle.
A Profile of Risk of EBSA [229.1 KB] [docx] can help practitioners identify areas of risk.
Possible indicators of EBSA include:
- Difficulty attending school with periods of prolonged absence
- Child/young person reluctant to leave home and stays away from the setting with the knowledge of the parent/carer
- Children/young people consistently marked as late
- reluctance to leave parents or get out of the car
- Regular absence without indication of anti-social behaviours
- Frequent absences for minor illnesses
- Patterns in absences or lateness, for example, particular days and/or subjects, after weekends and holidays
- Reluctance to attend educational setting trips/residentials
- The child/young person expresses a desire to attend classes but is unable to do so
- Avoidance of activities – breaktimes, lunchtime/dinner hall
- Anxiety on separation and inappropriate dependence on family members e.g., worry expressed about the safety of those at home
- Avoidance of attending the classroom full-time
- Evidence of under-achievement or problems accessing the curriculum
- Social isolation and avoidance of classmates or peer group
- Behaviour that gives cause for concern
- Concerns about emotional wellbeing: anxiety, anger or low mood and depression
- Physical symptoms that occur on school days i.e., sweating, sickness, aching limbs, headaches, panic attacks, abdominal pain
- Low self-esteem and lack of confidence
- Difficulties concentrating and being ready to learn