Social Science Impact Accelerator: Tackling the Emotionally-based School Non Attendance (EBSNA) Conundrum Together

This event tackles the very real and current issue of Emotionally-Based School Non-Attendance in Surrey. The workshop brings together multiple perspectives from academia (clinical, educational and developmental psychology), schools, charities and those with lived experience for a 'whole-systems' approach to EBSNA, discussing the full spectrum of experience from early-stage prevention to working with young people with pervasive non-attendance. Attendees will hear about evidence-based recommendations from leading social science researchers, discover how evidence can be embedded to support working with children and families and consider what is needed for potential funders to feel convinced that an intervention has worked. Through this event we aim to increase awareness of social science research and how it is translated into practice, and help refine research questions that academics ask, to share knowledge of how to evidence-base treatments and to facilitate networking amongst those working on EBSNA in Surrey.

Join us for a 3-hour participatory workshop hosted at Royal Holloway, University of London. This workshop brings together academics, charities and individuals with lived experience to tackle the EBSNA conundrum together. The afternoon is structured into four sections: (1) An overview of EBSNA from the perspective of working within and supporting schools (30 minutes, Invited Speaker, Dave Damon, Educational Psychologist), (2) What does research tell us about EBSNA, the factors that cause it, and how might we reduce it (45 minutes, Invited speaker, Kathryn Lester, University of Sussex, Professor Dawn Watling, RHUL and Dr Jess Kingston, RHUL), (3) How are Surrey charities tackling EBSNA with case examples and group discussion (45-minutes, Surrey Youth Focus, Community Foundation for Surrey, Eikon and Mindworks Surrey) and (4) A call to action (all). Embedded within the workshop is a 30-minute networking session to help foster networks and collaborations. Funding opportunities will also be discussed.