Understanding EBSA
What emotionally based school avoidance means, why it is not a diagnosis, and how it differs from truancy or school refusal.
Professional development
EBSA and school attendance training for professionals
Simplified Support provides professional CPD training on emotionally based school avoidance, school attendance, anxiety and the barriers that can make education difficult to access.
The training is designed for professionals who support children, young people and families, including schools, local authorities, education professionals, SEND teams, pastoral staff, attendance teams and other practitioners.
EBSA training for schools in the UK is provided here by Simplified Support Ltd, a Clevedon-based training provider. It is written and delivered by Jessica Buckle MABP (IPSEA SEND Law Levels 1 to 3, CBT Practitioner) and Nicola Middlehurst FMBPsS, Psychologist, the authors of Unmasking EBSA. Schools can study self-paced material, request a live online or in-person session, or enquire about private team training.
Professional CPD training on EBSA and school attendance
The training starts with what emotionally based school avoidance means and why an attendance difficulty may reflect distress, anxiety, overwhelm or reduced capacity. It considers what may be happening before, during and after school, rather than treating the attendance figure as the whole story.
It also explores masking, sensory and communication needs, executive function, learning needs and relationships. These factors can help explain why a child appears to cope in school but struggles significantly before attendance or afterwards.
The aim is a more informed, relational and collaborative response. EBSA is not a diagnosis by itself, and this training does not replace medical, psychological, educational or legal advice.
Who is the training for?
The current courses and training library name the following professional audiences. Suitability varies by course, so each course card shows who it was written for.
- Schools
- Teachers
- SENCOs
- School leaders
- Pastoral and attendance staff
- Educational psychologists
- Local authority SEND and attendance teams
- Social care and health professionals
- Multi-agency teams
What the training covers
These topics come directly from the current EBSA courses and modules.
School anxiety and attendance difficulty
How distress, anxiety, overwhelm and reduced capacity can sit beneath an attendance pattern.
Masking and hidden distress
Why a child may appear to cope in school while struggling before attendance or experiencing collapse afterwards.
The Three Pathways
Anxiety-led, capacity-led and trauma or relational presentations, including the way pathways can overlap.
Patterns, signals and formulation
Early warning signs, structured assessment, sensory and executive-function needs, and questions that help build a fuller picture.
Working with families
Listening to the child's experience, valuing parent and carer evidence, and keeping planning collaborative.
Reasonable adjustments
Reducing sensory, social and executive load without removing learning opportunities or relying on blame-based responses.
Supportive attendance planning
Graduated, pathway-matched planning, reviewing whether an approach is helping, and changing course when pressure increases distress.
Learning outcomes
By the end of each course, participants will be able to work towards the outcomes shown in that course's current material.
EBSA Gold Standard: Introduction
- Define EBSA using current research frameworks
- Distinguish EBSA from truancy and school refusal
- Explain the Three Pathways model of school avoidance
EBSA Professional Practice
- Conduct comprehensive EBSA assessment using the Three Pathways framework
- Differentiate between anxiety, capacity, and trauma-driven presentations
- Apply appropriate interventions for each pathway (and mixed presentations)
EBSA in Schools
- Understand EBSA as behaviour that communicates unmet needs
- Recognise the three pathways and their implications for school support
- Identify early warning signs before crisis point
Training format
Live online training
Live online sessions can be requested against each current course. The booking form shows the available dates and times.
Live in-person training
In-person delivery can also be requested in the booking form. Location, price and practical arrangements are confirmed separately.
Self-paced courses
The course library is designed for self-paced study. All nine full courses are included in the £199 course bundle. Online purchase is currently unavailable while payments remain in test mode.
No certificate, attendance record or separate CPD record is currently stated as part of these courses. Details to be confirmed where an organisation requires specific evidence.
Current professional training available
These are the existing EBSA course products relevant to professional practice. Their published course outcomes and durations are shown unchanged.
Included in the £199 course bundleEveryone
EBSA Gold Standard: Introduction
Foundation Course
An evidence-based introduction to EBSA using the Three Pathways framework. Understand the neuroscience behind school avoidance and why traditional approaches fail.
- Format:
- Live online or live in person by booking request
- Duration:
- 1.5 hours
- Dates:
- Shown in the booking form
- Session price:
- Details to be confirmed
- Self-paced access:
- Currently unavailable while payments are in test mode
Included in the £199 course bundleprofessionals
EBSA Professional Practice
Advanced Three Pathways Assessment & Intervention
Comprehensive professional training on Emotionally Based School Avoidance using the Three Pathways model. Learn advanced assessment, differential formulation, and evidence-based interventions. Professional CPD for psychologists, therapists, and SEND professionals.
- Format:
- Live online or live in person by booking request
- Duration:
- 6 hours
- Dates:
- Shown in the booking form
- Session price:
- Details to be confirmed
- Self-paced access:
- Currently unavailable while payments are in test mode
Included in the £199 course bundleschools
EBSA in Schools
Behaviour as Communication - A Whole-School Approach
Essential training for teachers, SENCOs, and school leaders on understanding and supporting Emotionally Based School Avoidance. Learn to recognise early signs, respond effectively, and create school environments that reduce EBSA risk.
- Format:
- Live online or live in person by booking request
- Duration:
- 4 hours
- Dates:
- Shown in the booking form
- Session price:
- Details to be confirmed
- Self-paced access:
- Currently unavailable while payments are in test mode
Private training for schools and organisations
Schools, local authorities and multi-agency teams can enquire about team training, including EBSA, attendance and anxiety needs already represented in the training library. Tell us about your organisation, team size and what you need; Simplified Support will confirm what can be offered, the format, availability and price.
Who delivers the training?
Jessica and Nicola bring together professional knowledge, SEND experience, psychological understanding and lived experience of navigating education and support systems as parent carers.
Jessica Buckle MABP
IPSEA SEND Law Levels 1 to 3 · CBT Practitioner
Jessica contributes SEND and EHCP law knowledge, practical advocacy experience and lived experience as a parent carer.
Nicola Middlehurst FMBPsS
Psychologist
Nicola contributes psychological understanding, neurodiversity-affirming practice and lived experience as a parent carer.
What does CPD mean here?
Here, CPD means learning designed for professional development and continuing professional development. It gives participants structured material to extend their understanding and consider how that learning applies in practice.
Simplified Support does not claim that these courses are externally accredited, and completing them does not provide a regulated qualification. A certificate, attendance record or separate CPD record is not currently listed; please enquire if your employer needs a particular form of evidence.
Related EBSA resources
Unmasking EBSA
The book by Jessica Buckle and Nicola Middlehurst.
Read about the bookEBSA Support Plan
A structured starting point for understanding and sharing a child's experience.
View the Support PlanSimplified Support
Visit the main Simplified Support website for the wider family of services.
Visit the main websiteProfessional EBSA training FAQs
What is EBSA training?
EBSA training helps participants understand emotionally based school avoidance as a pattern connected to distress and barriers to accessing education. It explores what may be happening for a child and how families, schools and professionals can respond without treating EBSA as a diagnosis.
Who can attend EBSA CPD training?
The current professional courses are relevant to schools, teachers, SENCOs, school leaders, pastoral and attendance staff, psychologists, SEND professionals and practitioners working with children, young people and families. Each course card states its intended audience.
Does the training cover school attendance and anxiety?
Yes. The current EBSA courses cover school attendance difficulty, anxiety-led presentations, capacity and trauma or relational pathways, early warning signs and supportive responses.
Is the training live or recorded?
Sessions can currently be requested as live online or live in-person training through the booking form. The wider course library is designed for self-paced study, but paid online access is not currently available while payments remain in test mode.
Will I receive a certificate or CPD record?
A certificate, attendance record or separate CPD record is not currently stated as part of these courses. Please ask before booking if your organisation needs a particular form of evidence.
Is the training CPD accredited?
No external CPD accreditation is claimed. The training is designed for continuing professional development, but it does not provide a regulated qualification.
Can schools book private EBSA training?
Schools can request an organisation quote and explain their team size and training needs. Simplified Support will confirm what can be offered, the format and the price before any booking is agreed.
Can local authorities book training?
Local authority SEND and attendance teams can use the organisation enquiry form. Multi-agency EBSA training is represented in the existing training library; availability and arrangements are confirmed in reply to the enquiry.
What is the difference between EBSA training and attendance training?
Attendance training may focus on attendance processes or figures. EBSA training looks beneath the attendance pattern at distress, anxiety, capacity, sensory and relational factors, then considers collaborative support and adjustments.
Enquire about professional training
View the current training, request a live session, or ask about organisation training and future arrangements.
Email Jessica@SimplifiedSupport.co.uk or call 0330 043 0263.