If you are worried about your child, talk to someone you trust such as your doctor, health visitor, teacher at your child's school as soon as possible. They will be able to listen to your concerns and begin the process of identifying how to help you and your child.

On this page, we have listed links to some teams or organisations that you can also contact for help and support.

EBSA

What is Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)?

Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) is an umbrella term used to describe when a child or young person struggles with attending school, or aspects of school, due to emotional distress, anxiety, or fear. Areas of difficulties that may affect EBSA include:

• mental health difficulties e.g. anxiety, social anxiety, health anxiety, low mood and obsessive-compulsive disorder
• social difficulties e.g. bullying, isolation
• factors in the home/community
• sensory overload or
• physical and/or health issues
• motivational issues (which may relate to mental health).

Children and young people who are described as experiencing EBSA often have prolonged absences from school which usually increase over time. If patterns of EBSA are recognised early, the child or young person may be attending school but avoiding particular people or lessons. Typically, it takes children and young people more effort and time to re-integrate into school when they have had longer periods of time away from the school community. However much of this depends on the nature of support given to children and their families once the child has been recognised as having difficulties relating to EBSA.

YOUnited offers support to children and young people aged 5 to 17 with their emotional wellbeing and mental health. There are four partners involved: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust (CCS), Ormiston Families and Centre 33.

Young people, up to the age of 18 years, can be referred to YOUnited, where the difficulties relate to eating concerns or seeking a neurodevelopmental assessment, please see their 'how to refer page' for further information.

For emotional wellbeing and mental health support for 17-25 year olds, please see their 'how to refer' for further information.

Pinpoint

Pinpoint, for parents by parents, that provide useful contacts and services to support parents/ carers and young people. We know the importance for caring for ourselves first before we can be in the best position to care for others.

Phone lines for parents/carers

• Family Action helpline – call 0808 802 6666 or text 07537 404 282 (9am-9pm Mon-Fri), also via email or webchat on website.
• Family Lives helpline – call 0808 800 2222 (Mon-Fri 9am-9pm, Sat-Sun 10am-3pm), also via email or webchat on website.
• Young Minds Parents helpline – call 0808 802 5544 (Mon-Fri, 9:30-4pm), also via email or webchat on website.
• Lifeline is a helpline for adults in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Trained staff can discuss issues affecting mood and wellbeing during this time, or signpost to other sources of support. Call 11am-11pm on 0808 808 2121.

Phone lines for children and young people

• Anxiety UK – call 03444 775 774 (Mon-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm, not freephone)
• BEAT Youthline – call 0808 801 0711 (9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 4pm-8pm weekends)
• CALM – call 0800 58 58 58 (5pm-12am every day).
• Childline (up to 19 years) – call 0800 1111 (Mon-Fri, 9am-3:30pm), or 1to1 chat option via website.
• The Mix – call 0808 808 4994 (3pm-12am every day), or via email or 1:1 chat (see website). They also have a crisis messenger text service – text THEMIX to 85258.
• No Panic Youth (13-20 years) – call 0330 606 1174 (Mon, Tues, Weds Fri 3pm-6pm, Thurs and Sat 6pm-8pm, not freephone).
• YoungMinds – text ‘YM’ to use the crisis messenger service for free 24/7 support on 85258.

Websites providing support and information for children

• Stormbreak – aim to improve children’s mental health through movement, equipping them with sustainable, transferable skills and coping strategies to thrive during the complex demands of growth into adult life.
• Keep-Your-Head website for Children & Young People  – brings together good, reliable information on mental health and wellbeing.
• The Cogwheel Trust – a Cambridgeshire-based charity which works to improve the emotional and mental wellbeing of local people. Cogwheel provides a range of counselling services for all ages (in-person and online) including providing services which are affordable to those on low and limited incomes.
• The Mix  – here to take on the embarrassing problems, weird questions, and please-don’t-make-me-say-it-out-loud thoughts that people under 25 have in order to give them the best support through their digital and phone services.
• The Pound Trust – helps with talking about LGBTQ+.