Emotionally Based School Avoidance: A Personal Story

In this deeply personal episode, I'm joined by Harriet Ennis, a psychology teacher from York and this year's winner of the British Psychological Society's Pre-Tertiary Education Psychology Teacher of the Year (PEPTOTY). Harriet reached out to share her personal experience of Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), previously referred to as school refusal. Harriet brings both professional insight and a powerful parental perspective to the conversation, as she opens up about her daughter J's journey through this challenging experience. EBSA describes children who are unable—not unwilling—to attend school due to overwhelming emotional or mental health difficulties. It's estimated that 1–5% of students experience EBSA, though this number may be even higher post-COVID. It's not about truancy or defiance—it's about real, often invisible, distress. 🎧 In this episode: Harriet shares what EBSA looked like for her family We learn about how schools can help through deeper understanding of the issues, and strong communication with parents. J shares a symbolic moment: cutting her hair on Saturday 26th July 2025 as a sign of starting fresh—and fundraising for a cause close to her heart 💬 "I went into a burnout for 6 months and at first, for weeks, I couldn't face light and I spent every day in a dark room... Coping with my sensory processing differences day after day had overloaded me... But I'm getting better and better." – J If you would like to learn more about EBSA this article from the Psychologist magazine is a useful 5 minute read: https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/cant-not-wont-rethinking-school-avoidance J is raising money for Thornberry Animal Sanctuary in Yorkshire—a nod to some fellow "hairy" friends—by cutting off her tangled hair and starting again. If you'd like to support her campaign, the JustGiving link is here. 👨‍👦If you would like further advice or support Harriet has suggest these links may be of use: https://daisychainproject.co.uk/autism-central/ (North of England) or https://www.childautism.org.uk/for-families/ (more broadly). ⚠️ A quick note: This episode was recorded under less-than-ideal internet conditions, so you may notice a few audio hiccups. I've done my best to smooth things out—thanks for bearing with us.