CYP Now - Thousands of vulnerable children missing from education, de Souza warns

Vulnerable children, including those with special education needs, are more likely than their peers to be among the thousands of children missing from school each year, the Children’s Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza is warning.

Young asylum seekers' care is blighted by a 'lack of safeguarding measures', de Souza says. Picture: Office of the Children's Commissioner for England

Her analysis has found that more than 11,500 children went missing from education at some point between Spring 2022 to Spring 2023.

More than one in five children who are missing from education have a special educational need (SEN), while they make up one in six of the population in state schools, she also found.

Among SEN children missing from school three in 10 have a social, emotional or mental health difficulty.

Children receiving social care support are also more likely to be among those missing from the education system. Children in need account for one in 14 missing from school, despite accounting for 2.6% of all pupils.

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