Across the UK, thousands of parents are being told the same thing by their child’s school:

“We can’t authorise absence for anxiety.”
“We can’t accept mental health as a reason.”
“We can’t authorise it without CAMHS or a diagnosis.”
“We can’t authorise it even with a GP note.”

But here’s the truth:

None of this appears in the law.
None of this appears in the DfE guidance.
And none of this is accurate.

Parents deserve clarity — not misinformation.
So here’s exactly what the law says, what anxiety-related absence really means, and what your rights are if your child can’t attend school because of emotional distress or SEND needs.

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1. Anxiety Is a Legitimate Reason for Authorised Absence

The Department for Education states clearly:

• Schools must consider mental and emotional health when deciding whether to authorise absence.
• Absence can be authorised for physical or mental illness.
• Anxiety, emotional dysregulation, or school-based trauma are valid reasons for a child to stay home.

There is no rule that says a child must be physically unwell for an absence to be authorised.

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2. Your Child Does NOT Need a Diagnosis

This is one of the most misused lines schools feed to parents:

“We can only authorise this if your child has a diagnosis or CAMHS involvement.”

Completely false.

Under the SEND Code of Practice:

Support is based on need, not diagnostic labels.

A child who is melting down, shutting down, masking to collapse, or in emotional crisis does not need to “prove” their anxiety with paperwork before being protected.

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3. GP Letters Do Count — Even If They’re Based on Parent Report

Schools often suggest GP letters are meaningless if the doctor hasn’t “witnessed” the anxiety.

But legally:

• GPs are allowed to write supporting evidence based on clinical judgement
• That includes what parents describe, observations, history, and context
• Schools cannot dismiss medical evidence simply because they disagree with it

The DfE does not state that GP notes require a mental health diagnosis.

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4. Anxiety Linked to SEND Is NOT “Non-Attendance” — It’s a SEND Need

Many children with SEND experience anxiety that directly affects attendance:

• Autism
• ADHD
• PDA
• Dyslexia or processing difficulties
• Sensory overwhelm
• Social anxiety
• School trauma

When anxiety arises from unmet needs, it becomes:

A SEND issue, not an attendance issue.

Which means:

• Unauthorised absences are inappropriate
• Punishments and sanctions may breach the Equality Act
• Schools must make reasonable adjustments
• Pressure to attend can worsen symptoms

Anxiety is a barrier to learning, not defiance.

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5. If Anxiety Prevents Attendance, the Local Authority MUST Step In (Section 19)

If a child is too anxious to attend school — especially over 15 days, consecutive or cumulative — the Local Authority becomes responsible for providing:

• Online education
• Home tuition
• Hybrid arrangements
• Specialist provision
• Alternative learning packages

Schools often claim they “can’t offer anything unless the child attends”.

But Section 19 says otherwise:

If a child cannot attend school for medical or mental health reasons, the LA must secure suitable education — full stop.

This is one of the most important rights parents need to know.

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6. Schools DO Have the Power to Authorise Anxiety-Related Absence

There’s a common myth that schools are “not allowed” to use certain codes.

In reality, schools have full discretion to authorise absence when the reason involves:

• Emotional distress
• Anxiety
• SEN-related difficulties
• Mental health concerns
• School-based triggers

Schools use this discretion daily for term-time holidays, family emergencies, funerals, and illness.

They can use it for anxiety — they just often don’t want to.

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7. Why Schools Resist Authorising Anxiety

This part isn’t in the legislation, but it is the reality.

Some schools worry about:

• Their attendance figures
• Their Ofsted rating
• Their pressure from the Local Authority
• The narrative that “anxiety isn’t a reason to stay home”

But none of these pressures override a child’s wellbeing or legal protections.

A child’s mental health is not a PR problem.
It is a safeguarding responsibility.

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8. What Parents Can Do If Schools Refuse

Here are your next steps:

1. Ask the school to put their refusal in writing.

Often they won’t — because they know it’s incorrect.

2. Provide a GP note or supporting evidence.

Even a short note explaining anxiety impact is valid.

3. Request a meeting under the SEND Code to discuss reasonable adjustments.

4. Request an EHCP assessment if anxiety affects attendance long-term.

5. Contact the Local Authority if your child cannot attend — Section 19 duties apply.

You do not have to accept an unauthorised mark if the absence is rooted in emotional or mental health.

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Final Thought

Anxiety is not misbehaviour.
It is not defiance.
It is not a parent failing to “push hard enough.”

For many children — especially those with SEND — anxiety is a real, debilitating barrier to school attendance.
And the law recognises that.

So when a school says:

“We can’t authorise absence for anxiety.”

Remember:

Yes, they can.
Yes, they should.
And legally, they must consider your child’s emotional wellbeing.

If you want a downloadable attendance rights guide, a template for challenging unauthorised marks, or a breakdown of Section 19 duties, I can create that next.