Guest Author: Jon Trew
“Not in School: The Mental Health Barriers to School Attendance” is a report published by the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition and focused on the important issue of absenteeism in schools due to mental health challenges. The report explores the link between mental health and absenteeism, offering insights into the groups that may be vulnerable and proposes recommendations for addressing these challenges.
In this blog we analyse the important findings and recommendations of the report, and explore how safeguarding software can support education settings, in tandem with local authorities, tackle absenteeism.
Understanding the Link Between Mental Health & Absenteeism
The Not in School report outlines that there are many factors to consider when understanding the drivers of school absence in a post-Covid world. In 2023 one in five children and young people between the ages of 8 and 25 reported mental health problems. These may include emotional difficulties, anxiety and depression, all of which may be affected by in school interactions, as well as affecting a child’s ability to attend and learn in school.
NHS data from 2023 demonstrates a strong link between school absences and mental health problems, with children experiencing mental health issues being seven times more likely to have missed at least 15 days of school compared to those without. The same report also highlights that the number of children with a probable mental disorder who missed at least 1 day of school was 50% higher in 2022 than in 2020.
The consequences of mental health-related absenteeism are profound and far-reaching. Missing school not only affects academic performances but also social development and emotional wellbeing. Long-term effects include lower educational attainment, reduced future employment opportunities, and a greater likelihood of mental health issues persisting well into adulthood.
Key Findings & Drivers of School Absenteeism
The Not in School report identified that some groups of children and young people are disproportionately impacted by mental health problems. Social and environmental determinant factors such as poverty, racism and inadequate housing can compound disadvantages and result in increased absences from school. The report identifies some of the groups that are likely to be vulnerable to these factors and at risk of persistent absenteeism.
- Special Educational Needs: SEND and Disabled children were disproportionally overrepresented in absence and persistently absent figures. Those children with Education, Health and Care plans (EHCP) were even more likely to be absent.
- Living in Poverty and Housing insecurity: Children with mental health problems are twice as likely to live in households that have fallen behind in rent bills or mortgage payments. 57% of children who were persistently absent were eligible for free school meals.
- Children experiencing bullying: A 2020 survey of 12-18-year-olds identified that 18% of respondents said they had missed school due to bullying. Reportedly, school records often do not accurately capture ‘bullying’ as a cause for absenteeism, suggesting that the true numbers of young people who miss school because they are bullied may be even higher.
- Racism and discrimination: Children experiencing racism and discrimination are interlinked with both mental health difficulties and school attendance issues according to the report. This is compounded by the fact that almost one third of children reportedly are likely to have experienced racism by the age of 13.
- Young Carers: There are an estimated 800,000 young carers in the UK, and these responsibilities have been linked with adverse impacts on mental health. Action for Children also identified that over 25% of young Carers aged 11-15 regularly miss school.
- Care Experienced children: The report highlights that 40% of adopted children have time off each year due to mental health and wellbeing concerns. Care experienced children are also significantly more likely to marked with authorised absences due to use of part time timetables because their needs cannot be met in full time education.
Barriers to Mental Health Support & Absenteeism
There is a widespread stigma associated with mental health problems, which often leads to a reluctance to seek help. Both students and parents frequently lack an awareness and understanding of the mental health issues, which exacerbates this problem. Despite this, NHS data indicates an increase in the amount of children and young people seeking access to mental health support.
The Not in School reports highlights that many schools are ill-equipped to support students with mental health issues. There is a lack of trained staff and insufficient resources to address these issues effectively within the school environment. This is compounded by what the report identifies as systemic inadequacies in mental health services for children and young people. These include long waiting times, insufficient funding, and fragmented services which make it difficult for students to access the help they need.
Another key insight from the report is that there is typically a lack of a separate mechanism for schools to record absence for pupils with mental health problems. Unfortunately, this results in children with mental health needs missing school being registered as unauthorised absences, and as a result they may receive sanctions or experience punitive measures.
How Safeguarding Software Can Help Address Persistent Absenteeism
At CPOMS, we understand there are barriers and challenges when it comes to supporting students with mental health and safeguarding needs, such as having the time and effective resources to be able to share important information, which can make it difficult to respond quickly and efficiently to any concerns that arise.
CPOMS StudentSafe can help schools to support children and young people with mental health and attendance problems to ensure a more appropriate approach to tackling the drivers behind missing school. By allowing educational staff to record all types of concerns and share with the appropriate staff, the software offers a powerful, customisable tool for logging and monitoring the safeguarding of all students, all in one place.
Coupled with CPOMS Engage, schools and local authorities can collaborate and share information about mental health problems and reported school absences. Through individual share contracts, schools and appropriate agencies can foster a joined-up approach to safeguarding vulnerable children, eliminating the risk of important information falling through the gaps.
To find out more about how CPOMS software can allow schools to identify and address safeguarding issues such as absence from education and ensure better outcomes for children, book a demo today.
