Children missing education

Anyone concerned about a child missing education can make a referral by contacting our Education Welfare Service.

All referrals will be logged on our register of children missing education. We will check whether the child is already known to us.

We will then try to trace the family and find out whether education arrangements are place, by:

• checking the local education and social care databases
• making sure the Missing Children's Panel is aware of the case
• linking with relevant professionals - for example special education needs and disabilities teams, housing teams, benefit agencies

The referral will be passed to the relevant team for additional casework to support a return to full-time education.

The Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub will be contacted immediately if the referrer has significant concerns about a risk of harm to a child.

The child's social worker will be contacted if the child is:

• subject to a child protection plan
• subject to a children in need plan
• a looked after child

Professionals who locate a child that they feel is without suitable education provision should immediately notify the Pupil Tracking and Child Employment Officer, via our Education Welfare Service.