Introduction
A child being absent from education for prolonged periods and/or on repeat occasions can be a sign of safeguarding issues. This applies when a child is not registered as receiving any education and when they are registered but not attending.
There are two overlapping issues related to children missing education:
- Children who are not registered as receiving any education, which is addressed by way of Children missing education statutory guidance and local authority processes.
- Children who are registered as receiving education but their attendance is poor, which is addressed by way of Working together to improve school attendance statutory guidance and processes.
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Governing bodies, proprietors and senior leadership must ensure appropriate safeguarding arrangements are in place to respond to children who are absent from education, particularly on repeat occasions and/or for prolonged periods. There are also expectations placed upon schools to inform the local authority when a student’s name is deleted from their admission register.
Early intervention to encourage attendance and prevent absence is crucial. As well as addressing attendance barriers, education settings should create cultures where all students feel safe, supported and motivated to show up every day.
Definitions
Definition of children missing education
“Children missing education are children of compulsory school age who are not registered pupils at a school and are not receiving suitable education otherwise than at a school.”
Definition of expected school attendance
“Where parents decide to have their child registered at school, they have an additional legal duty to ensure their child attends that school regularly. This means their child must attend every day that the school is open, except in a small number of allowable circumstances such as being too ill to attend or being given permission for an absence in advance from the school.”
A complex issue
Being absent from education is a complex issue and can encompass more than just children not attending their setting or not being registered with a setting.
Some parents and carers choose to home educate their children. In this case, guidance and processes are in place for local authorities to follow in relation to ensuring that education occurs.
Some children live with medical conditions that impact their ability to attend school. In this case, there is guidance in place to support settings to ensure there is an appropriate education provided. The local authority has guidance regarding provision for children with health needs who cannot attend school.
Prevalence
- According to the DfE, absence rates in education since the COVID pandemic have soared. Persistent absence (missing more than 10%) has doubled, and severe absence (missing more than 50%) has more than doubled.
- The DfE estimates 39,200 children were missing education in the autumn term of 2024.
- A report by The Children’s Commissioner says children identified as missing education were 1.5 times more likely to live in the most deprived neighbourhoods, 1.4 times as likely to have an identified special educational need, and 2.7 times more likely to be a child in need, relative to the cohort of children in state-funded education.
Additional vulnerabilities
Any child or young person may be persistently absent from education, but some children are more likely to be absent. This includes children and young people:
- with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP)
- experiencing poverty and hardship
- experiencing abuse at home, in the setting and/or online
- who are young carers
- who have previously been suspended or excluded from education
- who are LGBTQ+
- in care
- who have gone missing from home or care.
The impact of missing education
A child being absent from education obviously raises concerns for them missing out on learning opportunities. Being absent from education might also mean:
- increased risk of extra-familial harms such as sexual and / or criminal exploitation
- increased risk at home if there are existing risks at home or within the child’s family
- loss of opportunities for social and emotional development
- decreased opportunity for further learning and employment
- increased social isolation
- lost opportunities for professionals to identify emerging concerns and offer support before problems become worse.
Spot the signs
Early indicators of a potential absence from education can include:
- patterns of non-attendance
- recuring lateness
- reports from parents or carers that a child is reluctant to attend
- the child or young person often complaining of feeling ill (e.g., stomach-ache, sickness, headaches)
- changes in behaviour, for example, becoming less talkative with peers and staff, showing less interest in lessons or displaying challenging behaviour.
What to do
Keep talking - It’s important to find ways to encourage two-way communication with parents and carers. This helps to build trust.
Observe and respond - regular reviews of attendance data can help staff to spot early indicators of potential absence. If you observe any changes in attendance patterns or behaviour, do not hesitate to raise your concerns with your designated safeguarding lead and follow your setting’s procedures.
Early action – offer the child or young person the chance to discuss their situation and how they feel. This may help them open up and ask for help. It’s critical that students know they can speak to staff with confidence and know they will be listened to and supported.
Create a safeguarding culture - ensure children and young people feel secure and able to express their emotions and concerns, where they know they will be listened to, and can ask for the help they need.
Provide opportunities for children and young people to contribute to the decision-making process of the setting. This will help them feel that their voices are heard and valued.
Seek regular feedback from learners about what strategies are working, or not, and allow them to be involved in any adjustments that are required.
Work creatively across the setting - attendance cannot be addressed in isolation, there should be input from staff involved with curriculum, behaviour, special educational needs support and mental health/wellbeing.
Be proactive and robust when addressing any bullying and child-on-child abuse concerns reported in your setting, including those featuring sexual harassment and or sexual violence.
Children with additional needs and those who are known to social care services may require additional support and a targeted action plan, developed with their input, to help them feel empowered and build confidence in the setting’s ability to meet their individual needs.
Building partnerships with parents and carers
When working with parents and carers, practitioners should prioritise a child-centred approach, fostering partnerships to ensure understanding, support and safety.
Remember:
- Collaborative efforts are crucial, especially in cases of suspected harm.
- Practitioners must engage effectively with diverse families, demonstrating empathy, respect and cultural awareness.
- Communication should be clear, inclusive and accessible. Encouraging parental/carer involvement in decision-making and valuing their input is essential.
- Involving families and communities in designing processes fosters a holistic approach to safeguarding children.
- Continuous reflection and adaptation based on feedback from parents and carers enhance practice effectiveness.
- Have you considered if:
Parents or carers are reluctant to engage with the setting due to their own negative experiences when in education?
Parents or carers have had a negative experiencing in the past when addressing attendance with the setting?
Parents and carers have confidence that your setting can support their child? If so, they are more likely to share important information regarding their child’s wellbeing,and they are more likely to encourage their child to attend.
Supervision being provided at home is adequate and that parents know how to report any missing from home incidents in a timely way?
The absence from education is linked to neglect and/or issues which might impair parenting such as mental ill-health and substance misuse?
Resources
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Podcast: Absenteeism in schools
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Not in school: The mental health barriers to school attendance
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Addressing School Avoidance
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Lost and Not Found
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Working Together to Improve School Attendance