School refusal or EBSA?
Understand the difference between attendance difficulty, emotional distress and a child’s capacity to cope.
Read the guideThe book
Buy Unmasking EBSA
Unmasking EBSA by Jessica Buckle MABP and Nicola Middlehurst FMBPsS is the groundbreaking framework for understanding emotionally based school avoidance and masking — giving families the tools to turn lived experience into impactful evidence.
Premium colour print · paperback · 17.78 × 1.3 × 25.4 cm — available on Amazon.
Legally aligned · Psychologically informed · Neurodiversity affirming
Your child is struggling with school. Start here.
A calm, structured way to understand what may be happening, notice patterns over time and build clear evidence you can share with the people supporting your child.
This companion is for readers of Unmasking EBSA by Jessica Buckle MABP and Nicola Middlehurst FMBPsS. It works alongside the book — you'll need a copy to get started.
Buy the book, or sign in if you already have it
One child. One thread. Every setting.
Guides for parents
Start with a clear explanation
Free guides from Unmasking EBSA for families trying to understand EBSA, masking, school distress, school refusal and school avoidance.
Masking at school, breaking down at home
Why a child may appear fine at school and fall apart at home, and what that coping costs them.
Read the guideMy child cannot attend school
School refusal and school avoidance support: what to record and what to ask school to consider.
Read the guideEBSA support for parents
What EBSA means, what to do next, and when an EBSA assessment or wider involvement may be relevant.
Read the guideWhat this gives your family
A calm, structured way to turn what you see each day into a clear picture you can act on.
- Understand
- Record
- Notice patterns
- Build evidence
- Communicate
- Decide
Record the full picture
Record what happens before, during and after school.
Track attendance honestly
Record attendance alongside the real emotional and physical cost of attending.
Hear your child's voice
Capture your child's own words separately from adult observations.
Notice patterns
Identify patterns across time, settings and days of the week.
Build your evidence
Bring together professional reports, recommendations and supporting evidence.
Communicate clearly
Prepare plain-English communication that you choose whether to send.
The platform helps you organise the information. It never decides for you.
The book and the companion
Unmasking EBSA by Jessica Buckle MABP and Nicola Middlehurst FMBPsS gives the understanding. This companion gives your family a way to record it, notice patterns and build evidence over time.
Getting access
Book readers activate access with the ISBN and the order number from their receipt.
This platform does not diagnose any condition and does not replace legal, medical, psychological or educational advice. It does not decide whether an EHCP, Section 19 provision or a particular placement applies.