15/08/2026
My daughter transitioned to secondary school surprisingly successfully.
Then Year 8 hit.
And we started seeing the early warning signs, although we didn’t recognise them as such at the time.
Tummy aches.
Beginning to withdraw into herself.
Shutting down.
Self-harm.
Two years on, we have worked hard to support her. To actually hear what she was communicating to us. To listen. And to respect what she was telling us, even when it was difficult to hear.
We involved services. We changed our approach. Most importantly, we stopped seeing her difficulties as something she simply needed to push through.
Now, two years later, she is successfully transitioning back into school and has made a fantastic start to Year 10.
She hasn’t suffered academically.
She hasn’t suffered socially.
And, perhaps most importantly, she is mentally and emotionally stronger for the approach we took.
For us, this is what a successful approach to EBSA looks like.
Not forcing.
Not punishing.
Not assuming that attendance is the only measure of success.
Listening. Understanding. Supporting.
And working with the young person rather than against them.
That’s why I’m really looking forward to the Wyse & Helm webinar on EBSA on 2 September.
Because we need more conversations about what EBSA actually looks like, what sits underneath it, and how we can respond in ways that genuinely help our children.
If you work with, support or parent a young person experiencing EBSA, I’d really encourage you to join us.
Like / comment for the booking link 💛
