EOTAS Leeds Parent / Carer Support Group
This group supports parents and carers of children and young people who cannot go to a formal school setting. Families can join at any stage of their journey.
What is EOTAS / EOTIS?
Education Other Than at School (EOTAS) or Education Other Than in School (EOTIS) is support that the local authority must provide when a child or young person cannot attend school.
This may be because of:
- physical health needs
- mental health needs
- neurodiversity
- other needs that make attending school too hard or unsafe
The group does not use the term “school refusal.” This is because it suggests the child has a choice.
Instead, they may use the term Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), or they may simply say that the school setting is not meeting the child or young person’s needs.
About the group
The group has over 100 families from across Leeds.
Families offer each other:
- informal advice
- guidance
- signposting
- emotional support
It is a friendly and safe space.
The group runs on Facebook and plans to offer virtual meet‑ups.
Who may join the group?
Parents and carers may join if:
- Their child is beginning to miss 1–2 days a week and they are unsure what to do.
- Their child is in school but cannot take part in lessons, so school is acting more like childcare than education.
- Their child has extreme anxiety about school and does not have a diagnosis or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
- Their child has an EHCP but the school cannot meet their needs, and this causes trauma or anxiety.
- Their child has been out of education for a short or long time and they need advice on next steps.