Exploring the voices of children and young people in relation to emotionally based school non-attendance

Aims The Scottish Government (2019) emphasises the importance of children and young people’s (CYP) participation in issues affecting them. This study explores how CYP in a Scottish local authority perceive and understand Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) and what helps CYP universally to attend school. The research aims to gather data that would inform authority-wide responses to EBSNA and approaches to promote school attendance by considering pupil voice. Methods This mixed-methods study involved 230 CYP from primary and secondary schools in a Scottish local authority, who attended a children’s rights and participation forum. The forum did not specifically include CYP with experience of EBSNA. The study was conducted in two phases. The first involving focus group discussions based on a case study vignette. The second phase adopted a questionnaire exploring factors promoting positive school attendance. Results were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis and Kuhn’s (2003) model of analysis of children’s drawings. Findings Consistent with literature, CYPs views highlighted that EBSNA is a complex phenomenon shaped by individual., such as mental health and wellbeing, and environmental factors, including the physical school environment, family and peer influences, transitions and academic pressure. Factors that promote school attendance identified by CYP included: relationships, extracurricular activities, health and wellbeing, achievement, and learning. Conclusion This study has implications for practitioners to consider the views of CYP when addressing EBSNA. The response to EBSNA should be informed by nurturing approaches, prioritise wellbeing and interests of learners. Further research should gather the views of CYP who have experienced EBSNA to gain a more in-depth understanding of their experiences.