When School Feels Impossible: Understanding and Supporting Anxiety-Based School Avoidance in Neurodivergent Children

What Will You Learn?

• Explain the neuroscience behind anxiety-based school avoidance and why it is a distress response, not defiance or laziness
• Identify the key signs and triggers of Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) in neurodivergent children
• Apply low-demand and compassion-based strategies to reduce pressure and rebuild a child's sense of safety
• Develop a personalised reintegration or alternative engagement plan that prioritises the child's wellbeing
• Communicate effectively with schools, professionals, and family members to advocate for non-punitive, evidence-informed responses
• Recognise how autism, ADHD, PDA, and sensory processing differences increase vulnerability to school avoidance
• Use practical frameworks and tools to track progress, set realistic expectations, and prevent burnout in supporting adults
• Distinguish between helpful early interventions and approaches that are likely to escalate distress or school refusal