I’m a child psychologist: Britain’s school absence crisis is being dangerously misunderstood

As attendance figures continue to fall, the narrative has shifted towards blame, with parents often portrayed as permissive, disengaged or unwilling to prioritise education. It is an easy conclusion to draw, but it does not reflect the reality I see in my clinical work with children and families.

Most parents I support are not struggling to set boundaries. They are trying to help a child who is clearly distressed, often managing daily anxiety, physical symptoms and emotional overwhelm before the school day has even begun. What we are seeing is not a breakdown in parenting, but a growing number of children whose needs are not being adequately recognised or supported.

Part of the issue lies in a fundamental misunderstanding of what school absence represents. There is a tendency to group all non-attendance together, without distinguishing between children who are truant and those who are unable to attend school due to reduced mental wellbeing and other complex factors. These are not the same thing, yet they are often treated as if they are.

Terms such as ‘school refusal’ reinforce this confusion. They suggest that a child is choosing not to attend, when in many cases the more accurate description is Emotional Based School Avoidance, or EBSA. This is widely recognised in research and reflects the reality that some children are not refusing school, but experiencing significant barriers that mean they cannot attend in a consistent or sustained way.

The scale of the issue should give us pause and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Government data published in 2024 showed that 20.3% of children in the UK are persistently absent from school and now we’re in 2026 it’s no better. It is difficult to argue that this reflects a sudden and widespread shift in parenting behaviour and in my experience, children do not disengage from school without reason. What often begins as occasional reluctance can develop into something more difficult to change, particularly if the underlying causes are not identified early.

For many children, those causes are rooted in anxiety. This does not always present in obvious ways. It can look like repeated complaints of stomach aches or headaches, difficulty sleeping, or an escalating sense of panic linked to the school environment. Over time, school can become associated with feeling unsafe, overwhelmed or unable to cope.

There are also important links with neurodiversity that are frequently overlooked. Research has shown that attending school can be more challenging for autistic children, particularly as social demands increase with age. Difficulties interpreting social cues, navigating friendships and managing busy, unpredictable environments can contribute to heightened anxiety and, in turn, reduced attendance. That said, it is important to be clear that not every child experiencing EBSA is autistic. Each situation is individual, and assumptions can be just as unhelpful as oversimplifications.

What is consistent, however, is that there are usually multiple factors at play. In practice, we often think in terms of what is pulling a child away from school and what might help to draw them back in. For some, there may be specific triggers such as bullying, changes in family circumstances, or a negative experience within school. For others, it is a more gradual build-up of pressure, where the demands of the environment begin to outweigh a child’s capacity to manage them.

Against this backdrop, the increasing reliance on punitive responses feels particularly misjudged. Fines and legal action may create a sense of consequence, but they do not address the reasons why a child is struggling to attend in the first place. For families already dealing with high levels of stress, these measures can deepen the sense of being judged or unsupported, without leading to meaningful improvements in attendance.

A more effective approach starts with early identification and a willingness to look beyond behaviour. Noticing patterns, understanding what is driving a child’s distress and working in partnership with families are all key. In practical terms, relatively small adjustments can make a significant difference. This might include having a named adult in school who can build a trusting relationship with the child, offering a quieter or more manageable start to the day, or introducing a phased return that allows confidence to be rebuilt over time.

Listening to children is also essential. When young people feel that their experiences are understood, they are far more likely to engage with support. Consistency, predictability and collaboration between home and school can help to reduce anxiety and create a sense of stability, which is often what these children need most.

It is also important to acknowledge the wider pressures on the system. Schools are managing increasing levels of need with limited resources, and access to specialist services such as CAMHS and educational psychology can involve long waiting times. Parents are frequently left navigating complex situations with little guidance, while being held responsible for outcomes that sit beyond their control.

If we want to improve attendance, we need to move away from a narrative that centres blame and towards one that reflects the complexity of what is happening. School absence, particularly when it is persistent, is often a signal that a child is struggling. Responding to that signal requires understanding, flexibility and the right support, not assumptions about poor parenting.

Reframing the issue in this way does not remove accountability, but it places it where it belongs. Parents are part of the solution, but they cannot carry the weight of a system that is not currently equipped to meet the needs of all children. Until that is addressed, we are likely to see the same patterns continue, no matter how firmly the blame is applied.

_

Dr Patricia Britto, psychologist holding a Doctorate in Professional Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology (DEdPsy), an MSc in Mental Health in Learning Disabilities from King’s College London and a BSc in Psychology.