Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support (a) children experiencing Emotionally Based School Avoidance and (b) their families.

Tackling absence is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity. However, we recognise that some pupils face barriers to attendance, such as those who have mental health conditions, or who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

To tackle these issues our statutory guidance, ‘Working together to improve school attendance’, sets out a ‘support first’ approach. Specific guidance for schools on mental health and attendance has also been published, and the department is committed to providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school. This guidance is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-issues-affecting-a-pupils-attendance-guidance-for-schools.

Six in ten pupils will have access to a mental health support team by March 2026 and, under government plans, all pupils will have access to mental health support in school by 2029/30.