Thread by @DrDanLake

Last week, the DfE released further guidance on ‘Mental health issues affecting a pupil's attendance: guidance for schools’ and a ‘Summary of responsibilities where a mental health issue is affecting attendance’. See: tinyurl.com/2p98ekcs

Initial thoughts, a thread: 🧵👇

1.This builds upon Working Together to Improve Attendance guidance for Schools, academies and LAs (May 2022) the changes of which become statutory from September 2023. See: tinyurl.com/54dyyxjj

2.This guidance applies to any CYP displaying any social, emotional or mental health need affecting attendance. Feels like a welcome focus solely on the presenting need – barriers to school attendance (and wellbeing). It promotes curiosity for all, is my hope.

3.Keeps a focus on reasonable adjustments to support attendance throughout – on flexibility within school systems, bespoke strategies tailored to the individual’s circumstances ‘…to ensure that the school is a calm, safe, and supportive environment where all pupils

... want to be and are keen and ready to learn’. The reality is, that many schools (and LAs) are doing this well already, but that this guidance adds further backing to those already working in this way.

4.‘Schools should set and maintain high expectations for the attendance, engagement and punctuality of pupils who are anxious about attending school…’ I wonder if the key factor here, is how this is communicated? High expectations need to be paired with supportive expectations.

5.‘Many children will experience normal but difficult emotions that make them nervous about attending school, such as worries about friendships, schoolwork, exams or variable moods. It is important to note that these pupils are still expected to attend school regularly.’

...– Need to capture YP’s voice about their priority areas for support – so that YP feels heard; empowered to decide solutions/ideas, and feels that these ideas are being acted upon.

6.The section on early parental involvement is essential. Families need to feel heard, understood. This is a positive section IMO, moving from potentially a blaming scenario, to collaborative solution finding. Again, many schools doing this well already...

...A helpful review framework through which to keep this ‘action plan’ under review can be found at: tinyurl.com/3fjnrywp (see appendix 11).

7.There’s a focus on early intervention/multiagency support to support where emotional wellbeing factors are deemed central to CYP’s barriers to attendance. This section is vague, but without being able to more specific – as this will be determined by the LA context for any YP.

...Many LAs are structuring their Local Offer pages to include support for CYP experiencing attendance difficulties. See for example: tinyurl.com/3pnyj7y8

8.School staff must record absences as authorised where it is not possible for a CYP to attend due to illness (both physical and mental health related).

9. No need to routinely ask for medical evidence to support recording an absence as authorised for mental health reasons. Generally, primary health professionals such as GPs are unlikely to be able to offer such evidence to support one-off absences related to mental health.

10. 'In instances of long-term or repeated absences for the same reason, however, seeking medical evidence may be appropriate to assist in assessing whether the child requires additional support to help them to attend more regularly, and whether the illness is likely to prevent..

...the child from attending for extended periods'. I’m interested to hear how this is received by families/schools – does this alleviate a pressure of needing medical recognition to ‘legitimise’ the absence/support (in instances of EBSA needs)?

11.There’s a section on the use of part-time timetables: ‘where it is in a pupil’s best interests, a plan to help a child to attend well may involve the use of a temporary part-time timetable to meet their individual needs.’ I hope this would give sufficient scope for schools...

...families and LAs to feel protected to go at the CYP’s pace, in a way that sets plans up to succeed.

12.Mention of Legal Intervention isn’t made until page 14 of 20 – phew! Hopefully changing the culture/expectation to one of ‘what can we do to help?’ first and foremost. This will take time. A 'support-first' approach is the ethos rightly advocated by the DfE.

13.CYP with SEND/EHC plans – ‘If the child has an EHC plan, school staff should consider communicating with the LA at an early stage once they become aware of barriers to attendance that relate to the child’s needs...

...In many cases the school may be able to agree with parents/carers adjustments to its policies and practices that are consistent with the special educational provision set out in the EHC plan.’

Credit: @educationgovuk

Additional reflections:
1. Have EPs been consulted as part of this latest guidance? If not, it feels like an opportunity missed. The importance of psychological support for CYP/families/schools is not particularly explicit here, but I would pick-up on this, I’m biased…😉

2. High aspirations need to be closely matched with fair expectations, and a child-led pace of support.

3. The emphasis must be on providing cultural change – towards understanding, compassion and empathy – and away from judgement or blame.

4. The focus also needs to be on empowering CYP to feel central to their own solution finding. Then, keeping these ideas under close review, with CYP, family, school, professionals.

This guidance won’t be perfect, it won’t speak to everyone and I’m sure there are gaps...

...but it’s a start and hopefully a step in the right direction.

The ‘support first’ approach is key towards changing attitudes around barriers to school attendance and how we can help/support. 🤞

Thoughts? 💭

#attendance #EBSA #mentalhealth #wellbeing #schools #twitterEPs