A report by a cross-party committee of Members of Parliament (MPs) has issued a stark warning about the “grossly inadequate” state of mental health support for children struggling to attend school. The report comes as the number of absent children has more than doubled since the pandemic, and it criticizes the government for not acting swiftly enough to address this pressing issue.
The Education Select Committee’s report emphasizes the urgent need for a “major cross-government review” to tackle this challenge comprehensively.
In the academic year 2021/2022, over 1.7 million children were classified as persistently absent, having missed 10% or more of their school days. Disturbingly, approximately 125,000 children spent more time out of the classroom than in, according to data from the Department for Education.
The report strongly critiques the government’s approach, highlighting that there has been “no significant improvement in the speed and scale” of reducing absence rates. Moreover, the report expresses deep concern about the increasing rates of children grappling with mental health issues.
Robin Walker MP, Chair of the Education Committee, expressed his concerns, stating, “It’s clear that since the pandemic, a growing number of children have been citing mental health reasons for their absence from school. This is deeply troubling, and it’s evident that our healthcare system is struggling to meet this rising demand, leaving schools to bridge the gaps.”
The report calls for a substantial cross-government review to address this multifaceted challenge and demands increased resources both within and outside schools.
A senior teacher, speaking to Sky News, voiced concerns that high absence levels could become the “new norm,” potentially causing long-term harm to thousands of children.
The report offers a series of recommendations to address the national crisis in low school attendance. It highlights issues such as the rising costs of transport and uniforms as significant barriers to attendance, particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Additionally, the report places a strong focus on mental health as a substantial barrier to attendance and calls for greater consistency among England’s local authorities in their approach to issuing fines to families for non-engagement with support services.
The report also sheds light on the challenges faced by children with special educational needs (SEND), noting that absence rates are considerably higher among this group. There is also a shortage of special school places in various parts of the country.
The report’s recommendations include establishing a national register of children missing education, a legal requirement to address this issue. This recommendation comes in response to the concerning revelation that thousands of children had vanished from school records, leaving authorities unaware of their whereabouts.
The report also underscores the importance of adequate funding for Education Welfare Officers, given their vital role in addressing school attendance issues.
The Education Select Committee’s report draws attention to a pressing issue affecting children’s education and well-being and calls for immediate action to address these concerns comprehensively.
