EBSA can occur suddenly or develop gradually over time.
Behaviours can also range from occasional reluctance to attend school to complete avoidance resulting in non-attendance.
EBSA should not be thought of as a deliberate act of defiance as it is a complex issue with no single cause.
Reasons are often complex and multi-faceted across environmental factors (both at home and school) as well as individual child factors.
Any identified factors are unlikely to be static and fixed. What led to the initial school avoidance may not be what leads to persistent avoidance and non-attendance. What appears to be the cause of the issue may in fact be the consequence.
There are a number of key overarching risk factors that can influence EBSA. It is often the interaction between these factors (across school, family and child or young person) that results in EBSA behaviours.