Morgan, Hayley;
(2025)
Autistic young people's experiences of support for Emotional Barriers to School Attendance (EBSA) and their perceptions of the AV1 telepresence robot.
Doctoral thesis (D.Ed.Psy), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
Autistic young people are more likely to experience higher rates of absence from school compared to their non-autistic peers, yet their perspectives on support remain underexplored. This study aimed to address this gap by investigating the views and experiences of autistic pupils experiencing emotional barriers to school attendance (EBSA). The research also sought to explore the novel use of robotic telepresence technology (RTT), specifically the AV1 robot, as a potential intervention to facilitate access to school for this group. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with both young people and their parents. Young people also completed an adapted version of the ‘Ideal School’ activity and all participants viewed a short video introducing the AV1 robot before sharing their views on it. Reflexive Thematic Analysis identified several key themes. Participants emphasised the foundational importance of sensory-safe environments; trusting, attuned relationships with staff and peers; and enhanced pupil autonomy with support being flexible, personalised, and consistently available. These core components were also seen as critical to the successful implementation of the AV1 telepresence robot. While many participants acknowledged the AV1’s potential to support inclusion for autistic pupils experiencing EBSA, its effectiveness was viewed as conditional - it would need to be embedded within a consent-driven, adaptable, and supportive framework, tailored to the individual needs of the pupil and used in conjunction with, rather than as a substitute for, more appropriate or longer-term provision. Overall, this study provides a valuable contribution to understanding the support experiences and needs of autistic pupils with EBSA, while exposing the structural barriers to attendance in the education system. The findings highlight the need for more flexible, neuro-affirming educational practices and systemic changes to better support this group. It also offers important implications for EPs and schools seeking to create more inclusive, responsive learning environments.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | D.Ed.Psy |
| Title: | Autistic young people's experiences of support for Emotional Barriers to School Attendance (EBSA) and their perceptions of the AV1 telepresence robot |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2025. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Psychology and Human Development |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10212794 |
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