All children and young people can feel worried about attending school, but for some school can become challenging, stressful, and distressing, potentially building into school avoidance. School avoidance is when a child refuses to attend a school or has difficulty remaining in school the entire day. It can be exhausting for both the child and parent/carer, with mornings in particular can become a flashpoint. Even if a child does get into school the day can be filled with anxiety, and be disruptive for the child, teachers, and other pupils. After school day finishes the feeling of dread for the next day can start, and the process snowballs. So what can we do?
About the session
Organised by the ACAMH Scotland Branch this session will look at the complex factors contributing to pupils’ non-attendance at school. There will be consideration of evidence-based assessment and practical intervention approaches to support children back into education. There will also be an exploration of children and young people’s rights, as well as meaningful ways of gathering their views.
Learning outcomes
- Increased understanding of the factors – including social, emotional and psychological factors – which contribute to non-attendance
- Effective assessment approaches to non-attendance
- Pragmatic ways of supporting children and young people back to school
- Consideration of children and young people’s rights and views
Booking
£20 ACAMH Members (then £30 from 01/04/23)
£35 Non-Members (then £45 from 01/04/23)
£5 ACAMH Undergraduate and Masters Members
FREE – International Members
To book simply click the button at the top of the page, or this link and fill in the details. ACAMH Members should sign in first to ensure that they get their discount. Recording of the sessions will be available to delegates for 90 days after the event. Please note these recordings are for the delegate only due to copyright and cannot be shared.
If you are not an ACAMH Member now is a great time to join and make a saving on this event. Take a look at the different levels of membership on offer. Don’t forget as a charity any surplus made is reinvested back as we work to our vision of ‘Sharing best evidence, improving practice’, and our mission to ‘Improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people aged 0-25’.
Bookings close Tuesday 6 June 17:00 UK time.
About the talks
Marie Harrison and Hannah Gray
My Say, Children’s Views – This session will explore children and young people’s rights when they are not attending schools and constructive ways of gathering children’s view school during this time.
Angela Merrylees-Stalker
Supporting Children and Young people Back to School – This session will focus on individual planning and strategies that support young people back into school after a period of non-attendance.
Chris Atherton
Why Attendance Matters – This session will focus on the language used to describe nonattendance; the complex factors contributing to children and young people not going to school, and holistic and evidence-based assessment and intervention approaches to addressing non-attendance.
About the speakers
Chris Atherton is a Senior Educational Psychologist in East Renfrewshire Council. As an Educational Psychologist, he supports children, young people and families from preschool through to secondary age with a wide range of additional support needs. Chris has a specific interest in children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing, and works as part of the authority’s multi-agency Heathier Minds Service. Chris has led the development and implementation of a range of authority training courses, materials and resources for practitioners working with children and young people in the areas of autism; nurturing approaches; mental wellbeing; and emotionally based school absence. Access to some of Chris’s work can be found on the Healthier Minds website.
Angela Merrylees-Stalker is a Principal Teacher in East Renfrewshire Council. Angela’s experience spans early years through to secondary age and she has a particular interest in supporting children and young people with a range of additional support needs. As a Principal Teacher with the Healthier Minds Service, she supports children, young people and families from primary to secondary age with emotional wellbeing needs. Angela has also supported and led the development and implementation of a range of authority training courses, materials and resources for practitioners working with children and young people in the areas of nurture practice, understanding anxiety and Emotional Based School Absence (EBSA). Recent research interests have included qualitative studies in the perceptions of Educational Psychologists on EBSA.
Access to some of Angela’s work can be found on the Healthier Minds website.
Marie Harrison is a Senior Policy Officer for Children in Scotland, where she coordinates My Rights, My Say’s Children’s Views Service, supporting children aged 12-15 with additional support needs to share their view in formal processes. She also leads on My Rights’ My Say’s “Next Level” program, which supports local authorities to develop and explore participation strategies for ASN learners. She has worked with children in Denmark, Kenya and the Netherlands, always with a focus on ensuring that their rights are upheld and their voices are heard. She is currently working towards a Master’s Degree in Children’s Participation and Leadership and the University of Highlands and Islands.
Hannah Gray is a Senior Advice and Information offer for Enquire – the Scottish Advice Service for Additional Support for Learning managed by Children in Scotland. She is involved in managing Enquire’s helpline where they offer support and advice parents, carers, professionals and young people about children’s rights to be included and supported in their learning. She also works on Enquire’s policy and influencing work and outreach programmes. Previously, Hannah worked with the Scottish Government in education policy and as an employment support worker for young adults with learning difficulties. For three years, she chaired a young people’s group at the Sick Children’s Hospital in Edinburgh.
Booking
£20 ACAMH Members (then £30 from 01/04/23)
£35 Non-Members (then £45 from 01/04/23)
£5 ACAMH Undergraduate and Masters Members
FREE – International Members
To book simply click the button at the top of the page, or this link and fill in the details. ACAMH Members should sign in first to ensure that they get their discount. Recording of the sessions will be available to delegates for 90 days after the event. Please note these recordings are for the delegate only due to copyright and cannot be shared.
If you are not an ACAMH Member now is a great time to join and make a saving on this event. Take a look at the different levels of membership on offer. Don’t forget as a charity any surplus made is reinvested back as we work to our vision of ‘Sharing best evidence, improving practice’, and our mission to ‘Improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people aged 0-25’.
Bookings close Tuesday 6 June 17:00 UK time.