"Alongside being an author, I have also worked for several years in safeguarding and wellbeing roles. One of the most challenging issues I have faced is school avoidance, often known as EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance), and I have seen first-hand the profound effect it can have on both the child and the parent/carer.

Often, there are many reasons why a young person might feel unable to come to school. It is a complex range of issues that need to be carefully unpicked and understood. What is frustrating for many families and schools is that this can take time – and the longer it takes, the harder the young person might find it to return to school.

I have worked with many young people who have experienced EBSA. For some, there was an underlying reason – perhaps bullying, or the fact that they were struggling to engage with more structured education. I have worked closely with many SEND children, in particular those with Autism or ADHD diagnoses, and understand the complexities that are involved. This is especially true for me, as my own daughter has been diagnosed with Autism/ADHD and had severe anxiety regarding school, which we had to work closely with her to support. As a parent, I hated to see how negatively she could view school and how difficult each day was for her.

However, the truth is that many children find school, especially secondary school, overwhelming. It brings a raft of issues – large class sizes, different teachers, unstructured and loud environments, bright and busy spaces, coupled with the constant teenage need to ‘fit in’, to belong and to be accepted by their social groups. If asked, most young people would admit they find school exhausting or challenging, but for some, just the thought of walking through those school doors can become too much.

In Jellybean, I wanted to explore a character who was experiencing this. I didn’t want there to be one clear-cut reason for her school avoidance, but a myriad of things happening that made it difficult for her. I want Jellybean to provoke discussion to help children and parents/carers feel less isolated. It is not there to provide answers because, sadly, answers are often hard to come by. Instead, I want it to challenge our thinking and help to increase our empathy.

I wonder what more we can do to support those struggling with school avoidance and also those who are still attending school but are finding each day a challenge. We are all aware that the children’s mental health service (CAMHS) is crumbling under pressure, while cases of mental-health issues in young people are at their highest number to date. It is essential that schools have access to wellbeing and pastoral support services, ideally counselling too. Also, other services such as educational welfare officers (EWO) and health (GPs) can play their part in supporting families and ensuring a plan is put in place to help ease children back into education.

Within my role, I have yet to work with a child who flatly does not want to be in school. In truth, they usually do. They want an education. They want to make friends and to have access to the same opportunities as their peers. The difference is, they need some kind of flexibility – whether that be a reduced timetable, more support in school, or help with friendship issues. Children do not always fit in the neat little boxes that the education system has set up for them – and I think this is ultimately where we fail them."

Jellybean written by Eve Ainsworth, is a dyslexia-friendly novel published by Barrington Stoke and designed to be accessible to all. You can read our full review, download the first few pages, and add to your basket knowing that with every purchase on LoveReading4Kids a school close to your heart will benefit.