What to do if your child is struggling to attend school
Attendance at school is important for children’s wellbeing, safety, and long-term development. Barriers to regular school attendance can be wide-ranging and complex for children in care and children previously in care. Trauma and ACES can result in latent vulnerabilities which may make these young people more likely to develop poor mental or physical health, academic challenges (gaps in learning from disrupted education), social barriers (from relational trauma/attachment difficulties) as well as barriers arising from a pupil’s home environment and personal circumstances. All these things can have a detrimental effect on attendance.
Working together to improve school attendance (applies from 19 August 2024 (PDF)) sets out how schools should work with families and professionals to resolve attendance difficulties and establishes the role of school attendance leads as partners to help support.
Central Bedfordshire is also developing advice on Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), which is on our SEND Local Offer website.