F.A.Q

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

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.



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.
  • 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)
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.
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.
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.