Agenda item

This report sets out the current position on children who are missing education in Medway. 

Discussion:

The Attendance and Advisory Service for Schools and Academies (AASSA) Team Manager presented a report setting out the current position on children who were missing education in Medway. She advised that a partnership approach was taken to ensure children of compulsory school age have access to suitable education and that protocols were in place for the partnership. She outlined the processes followed when a child was missing education, including truancy sweeps and street weeks.

She informed the Committee that AASSA had 1300 referrals last year which included potentially vulnerable children such as gypsies and travellers, pregnant teenagers, children of families fleeing domestic violence, new immigrant families and children where the education being provided at home was not suitable. In the previous year 297 children were home educated, whilst 209 were currently registered as home educated. The safeguarding processes for children who were home educated were described and the Committee were advised of the programme of home visits that take place within a coherent partnership framework.

Members then made a number of comments and asked officers questions which included:

• Questioning whether children with mental health issues are identified at an early stage and adequately supported if they do not attend school; and concern that there may be children who whilst they are on a waiting list for assessment through CAMHS they may be missing education and need support. They also queried whether a reduced educational timetable is best for individual children with mental health needs. Officers advised members that children with mental health issues who were missing from education would be identified and supported and stated that reduced timetables would depend upon individual needs, and may be put in place if deemed in the best interests of the child. She also advised that following assessment, referrals were made into Rivermead.

• Members mentioned a case previously considered at a Schools Transport Appeal which had identified a child who had not attended school for two months - officers advised that they were actively involved with the case.

• Members questioned whether there was information available on the numbers of children who had been home educated who had then gone onto higher education and officers advised that there was no requirement for this information to be monitored by local authorities but that they would try to ascertain whether there were any national statistics.

• A Member outlined the benefits of socialisation within schools and was advised by the Director of Children and Adults Services that many children who were home educated engage in social activities for young people, such as guides, scouts, local clubs, etc. and that many parents who home educate their children are part of a lively network which also provides advice and support.

• Members asked about the method and approach taken during truancy sweeps, to which officers confirmed that the process was undertaken in multi –agency partnership with police officers making the first contact.

• They also questioned how long work with local estate agents has been going on to identify families who were moving into the area and were advised that this was put in place around 3 years ago.

• Finally a point was made regarding linking into the Landlords Forum and the AASSA Team Manager advised that although she had connections with housing associations and pre-school consortiums, it would be helpful for her to attend one of the Landlord Forum meetings and she agreed to look into this.

Decisions:

a)     The Committee noted the report

b)     The Committee requested, if possible, any further information regarding the numbers of home educated children who go onto higher education.