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Press release: Local authorities face many challenges identifying children missing from education

Ofsted’s latest survey highlights the challenges local authorities face in identifying and tracking children who are missing from education. Children missing from education, and whose whereabouts become unknown, not only risk failing academically but are also potentially vulnerable to physical, emotional and psychological harm.

The Children missing from education report surveyed 15 local authorities of different sizes across England, in both urban and rural areas. It found that none of the authorities felt confident that they knew about all the children living in their area in order to fulfil their duties to keep children safe.

The report found that children sometimes go missing because schools are not fully aware of policies and procedures for informing their local authorities. However, even when these are understood, some schools, including academies and independent schools do not comply with guidelines set out.

In addition, the transient nature of some families and the difficulty for local authorities of exchanging information about children moving between areas also meant they could go missing.

Despite the difficulties identifying and tracking children, all the local authorities surveyed worked to forge links with others such as health professionals. However, the extent and effectiveness of the exchange of information varied from one authority to another. In addition, information sharing between local authorities about families moving in and out of areas was too ad hoc.

Commenting on the report, Director for Education and Care, Patrick Leeson said:

'Local authorities and their partners need to share information effectively and more systematically to identify children and young people who are missing from education, particularly when their whereabouts are unknown. Children who become lost to the system not only risk failing academically but can be exposed to vulnerable situations.

'It is of serious concern that some schools are not following agreed procedures and legal requirements for notifying their local authorities when pupils are excluded or taken off the roll.

,However, the report does highlight some of the good work local authorities have done to overcome the challenges in ensuring all the children living in their area are identified and are receiving a suitable education.'

Preventing poor school attendance from the start is key to ensuring children do not eventually become missing from the education system altogether. In the best examples identified in the report, senior officers in local authorities pay careful attention to key transition points such as the move from primary to secondary school. Pupils’ attendance and absenteeism rates and those likely to be most ‘at risk’ were also closely analysed to find solutions that support and promote good attendance.

All authorities surveyed were aware of the wealth of information held by health professionals about the number and whereabouts of children living in an area. However, only five authorities had systematically involved local heath services in identifying children who were not receiving any education. The report shows that involving health professionals had a positive impact on finding children who were not previously known to the local authorities. They were also important in discovering children who were international arrivals and not attending school.

The report recommends the Department for Education should work with other government departments to clarify agreed roles and responsibilities for each part of local government in identifying children who live in a local authority area, and to ensure that there are clear expectations and protocols for sharing information.

The report also recommends that schools should follow consistently the legal requirements and the agreed local authority protocols for taking children off the roll and for reporting to the relevant authority when they are missing.

Notes For Editors

1. The survey report for Children missing from education can be found on Ofsted’s website www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/100041.

2. The survey report ‘Children missing from education’ evaluates the effectiveness of actions by local authorities in relation to children and young people who are missing from education. Inspectors visited 15 local authorities of different sizes across England, both urban and rural between September and December 2009.

3. The work of the local authorities surveyed consisted of three main strands: preventing poor school attendance and truancy; acting once absence occurred to establish children’s safety and to try to get them back to school; and taking action to trace children whose whereabouts were not known.

4. All authorities are required to make arrangements to enable them to establish, as far as possible to do so, the identities of children living in their area who are not receiving a suitable education. ‘Suitable education’ is defined as ‘efficient full-time education suitable to her/his age, ability and aptitude and to any special educational needs the child may have’. Children who are not receiving a suitable education either through school, alternative provision or home education are often referred to as children who are ‘missing education.’

5. ‘At risk’ groups include children and young people who are particularly at risk of not receiving a suitable education, including children who are looked after, on the children protection register, bullied, privately fostered and those who are teenage parents. The list comes from guidance provided by the former DCSF which identified 25 different groups of children and young people who were particularly at risk of not receiving a suitable education.

6. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

7. Media can contact the Ofsted Press Office via Ofsted's enquiry line 0300 1231231 between 8.30am - 6.30pm Monday - Friday. Out of these hours, during evenings and weekends, the duty press officer can be reached on 07919 057359.

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