Reducing Anxiety, Rebuilding Trust:

Supporting Autistic & ADHD Learners with EBSA

School can feel overwhelming or unsafe for many autistic and ADHD learners, leading to emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA). In this session, we’ll explore what makes school feel impossible and identify practical steps to reduce those barriers. Through the lens of five key safety domains; physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and sensory, we’ll look at how we can shift culture, environment and communication to help neurodivergent learners feel safe, supported, and more able to attend.

Participants will:

• Understand why school becomes a “can’t” for many neurodivergent students
• Identify barriers across five key domains of safety
• Use practical strategies to reduce anxiety and rebuild trust
• Create more predictable, supportive school environments