NEU comments on Labour's Children Not in School debate

Commenting on an Opposition Day Debate Motion to bring forward a Children Not In School Bill, Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:  

“Introducing a list of Children Not in School (CNIS) provides a starting point for tackling persistent absence.  Schools and local authorities need the capacity to work with young people and families to find out the causes of the absence and to effectively support them. 

“Young people with SEND, many undiagnosed or on waiting lists, constitute a high percentage of persistent absentees. Current government measures will do little to address reducing the waiting times for specialist support and Camhs appointments, the very measures that our members tell us affect the extent to which schools can support SEND students to remain in education.

“Alongside pushing for a list of CNIS, we need to see a concerted effort to address the SEND funding crisis as well as tackling child poverty and the extreme impact that it has on children and young people's capacity to maintain regular attendance. 

“Putting children’s wellbeing at the heart of education means more than just recording persistent absence.  It requires greater opportunity for the arts and sport and an end to the exam factory culture. It means lifting the pressure imposed on teachers by a punitive inspection system so they have more resource to support vulnerable students.”