Health needs provision
Overview
Most children with medical needs continue to successfully access education with the right support in place.
Schools can adapt and access support so that children continue to attend by using support aids, reduced or adapted timetables or obtaining additional support from wider agencies.
Schools and educational settings must adhere to the following advice when they are supporting children with medical needs in schools. It outlines the responsibilities of schools, local authorities and parents, and the legal duty of working together to support children, ensuring they remain healthy and achieve their academic potential.
- Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (publishing.service.gov.uk)
The following policy sets out how we, as the local authority (LA), ensure all school-age children with medical needs receive suitable*, full-time education. The policy applies to all statutory school-age children whether or not they are on the roll of a school.
*Defined as - efficient education suitable to the age, ability, aptitude and to any special educational needs the children and young people may have.
Emotionally based school non-attendance (EBSNA)
Emotionally based school non-attendance (EBSNA) is a term used to identify children and young people who are facing challenges in attending school.
EBSNA is apparent where difficulties with attending school are the result of emotional factors. Children and young people (CYP) presenting with EBSNA experience significant levels of both physical and emotional distress.
The emotional element of EBSNA is what makes it distinct from other forms of non-attendance. It is not a ‘refusal’ to attend. Often children want to attend school. It is the overwhelming experience of stress, anxiety and other emotions that make a child feel that they must stay away or ‘avoid’ school.
Derby City Council have developed an EBSNA pathway to help schools identify and support children who are experiencing EBSNA.
From September 2024, a health needs panel will meet to triage referrals, offer support and guidance to schools, and signpost to local resources.
The following DfE guidance must be consulted before any referrals are made:
- Summary of responsibilities where a mental health issue is affecting attendance (publishing.service.gov.uk)
- Working together to improve school attendance (applies from 19 August 2024) (publishing.service.gov.uk)
- Arranging education for children who cannot attend school because of health needs (publishing.service.gov.uk)
If schools would like support with a child experiencing EBSNA, the referral must be completed in full and sent to IYFA@derby.gov.uk.
- Download a Health needs education panel referral form
The deadline for referrals is 5 school days before panel, and the dates for the 2024-24 health needs panels are as follows:
- 24/09/2024
- 15/10/2024
- 12/11/2024
- 03/12/2024
- 14/01/2025
- 04/02/2025
- 04/03/2025
- 25/03/2025
- 29/04/2025
- 20/05/2025
- 17/06/2025
- 08/07/2025
Resources
There are a number of resources to use when working with children and young people experiencing EBSNA.
Web links
- YoungMinds
- MindED for Families
- Anna Freud
- Understanding EBSNA webinar
- Attendance - have you tried?
- Derby Direction EBSNA toolkits
Documents to download
- Graduated response to supporting pupils presenting with EBSNA
- EBSNA good practice guidance
- EBSNA audit
- EBSNA card sort
- EBSNA ladder template
- EBSNA Lego
- EBSNA primary pupil questionnaire
- EBSNA secondary pupil questionnaire
- EBSNA supporting transitions
- EBSNA anxiety management reources
- Profile of risk factors of EBSNA