In response to revised guidance from the Department for Education (DfE), Nottingham City is set to implement a new policy aimed at supporting children unable to attend school due to health reasons, including mental health issues.
The initiative, developed in collaboration with multiple stakeholders, is scheduled for launch in September 2024 and will require significant funding to be effective.
The matter will be discussed at the Agenda for Schools Forum on Tuesday, 16th July, 2024.
Current Statistics
The DfE’s updated guidance, issued in December 2023, places greater responsibility on Local Authorities to support young people with health-related school attendance challenges. Nottingham has been identified as a priority area for improving school attendance, as reflected in the city’s involvement in the two-year Priority Education Investment Area (PEIA) project.
Recent statistics show that Nottingham’s primary school attendance rate stands at 94%, slightly below the national average of 94.7%. Secondary school attendance is at 91%, compared to the national average of 91.6%. However, persistent absenteeism remains a significant concern, with 20.5% of primary students and 28.1% of secondary students being persistently absent, compared to national figures of 16.1% and 25%, respectively.
Proposed Policy
To address these issues, a comprehensive policy has been outlined, proposing a budget of £1,067,423 for the 2024/25 academic year. The funding will be allocated from the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs Block. This initiative includes the formation of a new team within the Mental Health Support Team (MHST), consisting of:
- 4 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Child Welfare Practitioners
- 4 FTE Educational Mental Health Practitioners
- 1 FTE Clinical Supervisor
- 1 FTE Team Manager
This team is expected to support approximately 240 children at any given time, at a projected cost of £434,156. Additional roles within the Council will also be established to manage this process, including an Education Panel Programme Manager, a Coordinator, and two Education Welfare roles, totaling £183,267.
Educational Support
A budget of £450,000 will be set aside for educational support. This will cover online learning, additional Teaching Assistants through the Hospital Home Education Learning Centre (HHELC), and AV1 Bots to facilitate remote education. Children who are unable to attend their home school due to mental health issues will receive tailored educational packages, including face-to-face or online learning.
The new policy introduces a multi-agency Complex Case meeting to review and support children with health-related school attendance issues. Depending on their needs, children will receive one of three outcomes:
- Referral back to their school with additional support recommendations.
- Initial assessment and 12 weeks of support from the MHST.
- Placement at HHELC for 12 weeks, followed by a 6-8 week reintegration package.
All cases will be reviewed every six weeks to ensure ongoing support and necessary adjustments. The ultimate goal is to reintegrate children back into their home schools whenever possible.
Despite the significant investment, there are concerns about the adequacy of the funding to meet the growing demand. Persistent monitoring and evaluation will be critical to assess the effectiveness of the interventions and the overall impact on school attendance rates. The policy will undergo a review in 2025 to determine its success and identify areas for improvement.
