Principle 2: Everyone needs to be prepared for the journey

Some children and young people may be able to increase their engagement with little adjustment or intervention. However, the process of re-engaging for many is a long one. It is important for everyone, especially the child or young person, to understand this.

Every small step should be celebrated. There should be reassurance when things do not go as expected. School attendance is the end of the journey and the focus should remain on engagement along the way. The road to re-engagement is rarely straight up.

It is likely that progress happens in bursts and includes plateaus and regressions. Preparing children, young people and their families for this will stop disappointment from feeding into the anxiety-avoidance cycle.

It is sensible to expect regressions to occur around key transitions such as:

• weekends
• holidays
• new academic year.

Allowing for ‘planned regression’ can allow for more sustained progress. For example, a slightly decreased timetable. It can reduce the burnout that sometimes comes from exertion through the anxiety that these transitions elicit.