DEDICATED WEEK FOR PROFESSIONALS
It's vital that professionals and parents work together in learning more about school avoidance, its causes and how to help children and young people back into learning.
In 2025 we launched our first ever dedicated week to professionals' development in the field of school attendance difficulties.
School Avoidance Awareness Week for Professionals
Whilst this week is developed by teachers for teachers, it will provide critical learning opportunities for all professionals that work with children and young people. It's vital we come together and focus on co-production to improve long term outcomes for today's learners.
Practical knowledge for professionals supporting school avoidance
School Avoidance Awareness Week 2026 brings together experienced SEND professionals, educators and specialists to help teachers, SENCOs, school leaders and other professionals better understand why children and young people may struggle to attend school and what effective support can look like in practice.
Across the week, we’ll explore areas including
school avoidance and school non-attendance, sensory processing, trauma, behaviour as communication, safeguarding, supporting parents, alternative provision, flexi-schooling, teacher wellbeing and burnout, alongside practical guidance on using our
School Non-Attendance Assessment Tool.
The professional programme has been designed to move the conversation beyond simply asking, “How do we improve attendance?” Instead, we’ll look at what may be driving the difficulty, how professionals can identify unmet need earlier, how relationships with families can be strengthened, and what can help a child feel safe, supported and able to engage with education again.
Whether you’re working directly with a child experiencing school avoidance, supporting their family, leading SEND or attendance practice within a school, or simply want to be better prepared when this lands on your desk, this week is designed to give you understanding you can take straight back into your work.
ACCESSING SCHOOL AVOIDANCE AWARENESS WEEK
Our learning takes place via the SEND Training Institute, of which you can become a member for just £19.99 per month per licence. There is much more on offer, too, including online support for professionals, hundreds of courses and everything available to watch on demand at a time that suits you.
Need more licences? Not a problem, we have discounts for 10+, just get in touch with our colleagues at the SEND Training Institute for more information - hello@sendtraininginstitute.co.uk
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m teaching during the webinars. What if I can’t attend live?
That’s absolutely fine.
We know teachers, SENCOs and other education professionals are unlikely to be able to stop working in the middle of the school day to watch a webinar!
Your School Avoidance Awareness Week sessions will be available on demand afterwards, so you can catch up at a time that works for you.
Attend live where you can, watch later where you can’t, and work through the content at your own pace.
Do I have to sign up for a year?
No. There is no annual commitment.
You can subscribe for just one month, which gives you access to School Avoidance Awareness Week alongside the wider SEND Training Institute Academy and its extensive library of professional SEND training and resources - not to mention our dedicated 'teacher coaching zone' that is available 24/7.
If you decide you don’t want to continue after your first month, simply log into your account and cancel. There are no cancellation charges and no requirement to stay for a year.
I already understand school avoidance. Will I actually learn anything new?
We hope so!
This isn’t a week of simply telling professionals that school avoidance exists. We’re looking at what you can actually DO when a child is struggling to attend. That includes understanding the barriers behind non-attendance, working effectively with parents, safeguarding, sensory processing and trauma, behaviour as communication, flexi-schooling and alternative provision, as well as using our School Non-Attendance Assessment Tool.
The aim is to give you practical knowledge, language and tools that you can take back into your setting and use with the children and families you support.