Welcome

EBSA Support Collaboration

We collaborate with schools and external services to support children experiencing Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA). Our personalised strategies focus on improving attendance while addressing the underlying issues in a nurturing environment.

Drawing and Talking Therapy

A creative short-term therapeutic approach to help children express emotions and overcome challenges. We utilise the Drawing and Talking technique to support children aged 5 and above who have experienced trauma, emotional challenges. We cater to diverse needs, including those from separated families, adopted or fostered children, young caregivers, LGBTQ+ youth, and those facing bullying or social disadvantages. Our goal is to empower children, helping them build resilience and a brighter future through tailored, compassionate support.

Access Arrangement Assessments

We provide access arrangements assessments for children from Year 9, ensuring they receive necessary adjustments such as extra time during any assessments- internal or external- such as GCSEs and A levels. These modifications support students with special educational needs, disabilities, or temporary injuries, allowing them to showcase their true abilities while maintaining assessment integrity in line with the JCQ guidelines.

Stavroula Alachiotis-Merchant

Specialist SEND teacher, SENCo, assessor and Drawing and Talking practitioner. MA, MSc, BA, QTS, CCET, NPQSENCo

Hello and thank you for visiting. I’m a passionate and experienced SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) and educational leader with over 15 years of working alongside children, families, and schools to create supportive and inclusive learning environments. I am an experienced Access Arrangements Assessor and regularly work with students to ensure they receive the exam access they are entitled to. I am also a trained Drawing and Talking Practitioner, offering a therapeutic, child-led approach that helps young people process difficult emotions in a safe and supportive way. Whether in mainstream schools or independent settings, I have had the privilege of supporting a wide range of students—from young children just starting their educational journey, all the way through to adults in college. I also currently serve as a SEND Governor at a local school, where I help guide and support inclusive practice at a strategic level. My background in SEND is supported by a strong academic foundation, including a Master’s in Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia), a Master’s in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and a BA in English and Ancient Greek. I also hold Qualified Teacher (QTS status) and a range of additional qualifications in both assessment and therapeutic approaches. Over the years, I have worked across a variety of educational settings, including pupil referral units, special schools, and prestigious international schools. This breadth of experience has given me a deep understanding of how to meet the diverse needs of students and how important it is to work in close and open partnership with families where we work on realistic goals. I would be delighted to offer a confidential space where we can discuss any concerns or worries you may have about your child. Together, we can explore how best to support them to thrive, starting with a free initial consultation. Looking forward to meeting you.

What services does School Ready Kids offer?

School Ready Kids provides three main services: access arrangement assessments, Drawing and Talking therapeutic support, and assistance for children with Emotionally-Based School Avoidance (EBSA).

Where are you based?

I am based in Hertfordshire but I work across the UK.

Is the initial consultation free of charge?

Yes.The initial consultation is free of charge. Once you get in touch and let us know a little bit about your child's situation, we will arrange either a one to one confidential meeting, a phone call or a videocal. During the intial consultation meeting, we will discuss your child's concern and what we can offer to support you. Once you are happy to proceed, we will email you with the service agreed, the fee and next steps.

How can I schedule an access arrangements assessment for my child?

If your child may require additional support during exams, such as extra time or a reader, an access arrangements assessment can be carried out at school.

The assessment typically takes between one and two hours, depending on your child’s individual needs and the specific arrangements being considered.

At the end of the assessment, you will receive a detailed report. This will include:

An explanation of your child’s assessment results
A summary of which exam arrangements they may be entitled to
Information on how the school can use the report to apply for the appropriate arrangements

This report enables the school to request the most suitable support for your child during formal exams, helping to ensure they are not placed at a disadvantage.

Can you tell me more about the Drawing and Talking therapy?

The structure of the therapy:

Length: The full programme runs over 12 weekly sessions, each lasting about 30 minutes.
Setting: Sessions usually happen at school, in a quiet and private space or at aprivate space.
One-to-one: Your child meets individually with the same practitioner each time.
Consistency: Sessions are at the same time each week to provide routine and emotional safety.
Content: Children draw freely, and the adult uses gentle, non-intrusive questions to help them reflect on their thoughts or emotions.

The therapy is confidential to help your child feel safe and open. The practitioner will not interpret drawings or share specific content unless there's a safeguarding concern. You can expect general updates on progress and wellbeing.

Drawing and Talking is a non-intrusive therapeutic technique, not a form of clinical art therapy. It’s focused on helping children symbolically process feelings through drawing and gentle dialogue — not on interpreting artwork or diagnosing.

At the end of the programme, the practitioner may recommend:

Closure if your child has made good progress
A review period
Referral for further support if needed (e.g., counselling, CAMHS)

What is Emotional Based School Anxiety (EBSA)?

EBSA is when a child struggles to attend school due to high levels of emotional distress, such as anxiety, fear, or sadness. It’s not the same as truancy.

There can be a mix of factors, including:

Social difficulties (e.g. bullying, friendship issues)
Academic pressures or fear of failure
Separation anxiety from home or family
Changes or transitions (new school, class, teacher)
Underlying mental health issues (e.g. anxiety, ASD, trauma)Often, it’s not caused by one single event but a build-up of stress.

What support do you offer for a child with EBSA?

I work closely with both parents and schools to ensure a consistent, compassionate approach is in place to help the child gradually and safely return to education.

1. Developing a Collaborative Support Plan: I work with parents and key school staff (such as the SENCO, pastoral lead, or head of year) to create a personalised return-to-school strategy (a personalised support plan).

2. I help ensure open and regular communication between home and school so that everyone involved is clear on.

This shared understanding helps the child feel supported and ensures consistency in the approach between school and home.

3. Offering Drawing and Talking Therapy (if beneficial).

For some children, school anxiety is linked to underlying emotional difficulties that may be hard to talk about directly. In these cases, I may suggest a course of Drawing and Talking Therapy to run alongside the reintegration plan.

4. Taking a Child-Centred Approach. By working closely with families and school staff, I aim to ensure:

The child’s voice and needs are taken into account wherever possible
Support is matched to the child’s emotional readiness
Goals are gradual, flexible, and realistic

The aim is not simply to get the child back into school, but to help them feel emotionally safe, understood, and confident once they are there.

What kind of information is collected about my child?

Depending on the support being provided, we may collect:

Assessment results
Observations and teacher reports
Previous diagnostic reports.
Background or medical information (if shared by parents or professionals)
Notes from sessions or meetings
Details about your child’s strengths and areas of need.

All information will be handled in accordance with data protection legislation and GDPR. Your child’s privacy and confidentiality will be respected throughout the process.

Hertfordshire

I aim to respond within 48 hours.