News

In December the DfE published a report into their interim findings on improving the educational outcomes for some of the most vulnerable children – those in need of help or protection.

Between 2014/15 to 2016/17 there were 1.1 million Children in Need and at least 1 in 10 pupils in state schools in the academic year 2016/17 had been in need at some point over the previous six years. Pupils who were in need had worse educational outcomes than those who were not, with lasting negative impact.

For those of us who work closely with schools, their pupils and their families, the findings in this report will come as no surprise.

Whilst there is no single cause of poor educational outcomes for Children in Need one of the most common barriers is through poor attendance. Where parents are experiencing issues in caring for their children there may be difficulties in the children getting to school. Continuous assessment is a key principle in how social workers support children and families and information about the child’s attendance should be used to inform Child in Need plans.

The report reaffirms that multi-agency working and information sharing are key to identifying and addressing the needs of the children. Our WPA Education Welfare Officers are able to provide advice and support to families and participate in the multi-agency approach to improving the education outcomes for the children.

The report, which can be found here, talks about best practice already in place but also identifies what is needed to bridge the gap to ensure Children in Need reach their full potential.  

For more information about how we can support your school in improving the attendance of all pupils please contact us by calling 0208 462 2716 or using our contact form.