Laying the Groundwork To Tackle School Absence Before September
By Mikaela Shalders, Clinical Operations Director & Occupational Therapist, Momenta Connect.
Recent Department for Education figures report a persistently absent rate exceeding 18% among pupils. While often misinterpreted as disengagement, many cases stem from Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), a condition marked by anxiety and emotional overload, not defiance.
For children affected by EBSA, many of whom are neurodivergent, sensory-sensitive, trauma-experienced, or anxious, the summer break often intensifies distress. The loss of daily structure, teaching staff support, and peer contact can make a September return feel like it is impossible.
Why Summer Intervention Works
School represents far more than education for EBSA-affected pupils; it is a vital anchor of routine, social belonging, and identity. The absence of routine and safeguards may deepen isolation and fear, so making a proactive effort during the long summer break is critical for a successful transition. Using the 3C Integrated Support Framework can help.
- Connection – Sustaining Inclusion
Families and schools should aim to maintain meaningful connections through summer. This can include:
- Brief, personalised emails to celebrate achievements.
- Visual reminders, classroom photos, and familiar routines.
- Short parent-teacher planning conversations focused on September needs.
Within the home, parents can help by showing interest in the child’s daily experiences, setting predictable screen-time limits, and encouraging pre-summer social interactions with school peers.
- Co-Regulation – Stabilising Emotional Experience
Children progress when adults meet their distress calmly and consistently, not by insisting everything be “fixed.”
- Parents can prepare “calm kits” with sensory aids, visual timetables, and breathing techniques.
- Schools can distribute their own strategies, advise on sleep routines, and offer access to quiet school environments via holiday programs or tours.
- At home, establishing a pseudo-school routine (e.g., wake-up, meals, quiet shared time) helps reduce unpredictability.
- Co-Reflection – Collaborative Reintegration Planning
Children should feel like they are part of the planning process and not overwhelmed by it.
- Use one-page profiles to document strengths and preferences.
- Ask open-ended questions, such as: “Which parts of school are hardest?” and “What would help you feel secure?”
- Parents can mirror this at home, identifying challenges and brainstorming manageable solutions.
- A staggered return, such as half-days initially or heading in with a known staff member, often proves more sustainable than an abrupt full-time resumption.
When to ask for support
Look for signs including panic or shutdown near school-related cues, unexplained physical symptoms, or marked changes between home and school behaviour. These warrant support from multi-professional teams, such as psychology, occupational therapy, speech and language, or other relevant services. Early access to this support dramatically improves outcomes.
Strategic Summer-to-Autumn Actions
Circulate Momenta Connect’s free EBSA guidance to your families and staff. You can download a copy here
- Identify a dedicated contact for each vulnerable student.
- Ensure SENCOs and pastoral staff jointly create individual reintegration plans.
- Emphasise positive steps taken over the holidays rather than focusing solely on the difficulty of attendance.
Building September Success
By taking a few steps over the summer based on connection, co-regulation, and collaborative planning can transform the return to school and reduce the number of potential September no-shows into confident school returns. By celebrating small achievements and thoughtfully phasing back into school life, we can better support EBSA-affected pupils to thrive.
