Education Adviser, Lucie Welch, discusses the safeguarding risks posed when children are not in school and provides actionable advice for safeguarding and senior leaders. 

If a child is not in school, we can’t know for certain whether they are safe.  

Regular attendance provides early warning signs, opportunities for intervention and a visible connection between school and home.  

For safeguarding leads and senior leaders, attendance is far more than an administrative concern, it’s essential to keeping children safe and well. 

What the numbers tell us: 

Below are the recent UK statistics that show how big an issue non-attendance, elective home education and missing education are – and how they intersect with vulnerability. 

The safeguarding risks when children are not in school: 

When children are absent, or otherwise outside the view of school systems, several safeguarding issues become more likely or harder to identify:

Specific concerns impacting school attendance: 

These are particular areas where attendance intersects with safeguarding in concerning ways.  

In your setting, staff need to be aware of related risks to children and what they should do to be vigilant.  

We know that spotting signs early and acting quickly can truly be the difference between a child getting help or losing their life.  

1. Elective Home Education (EHE) 

Elective Home Education is when parents choose to educate their child at home instead of at school. Parents must provide a full-time, suitable education, though they don’t need to follow the national curriculum. Local authorities can make enquiries, but there is no formal inspection system.  

Many children in EHE are removed from school for reasons including mental health, parental preference or philosophical reasons. But a substantial proportion have unknown reasons.* 

• There is concern that EHE can be used as a “default” when mainstream schools cannot meet a child’s needs, especially those with SEND. 

• Local authorities have limited oversight of educational quality, wellbeing or safety for children educated at home. 

Related risks of EHE: 

• Safeguarding risks include children being hidden from professional oversight, delayed identification of abuse or neglect and lack of access to wider support services. 

• Children who are electively home educated can also become isolated, which can heighten vulnerability to exploitation or unmet mental health needs. 

* It is important to state that many parents educate their children successfully at home and that it does not always pose a risk, but it is essential schools use their professional curiosity if children are removed from school and that they report any concerns they may have.  

2. Emotionally-Based School Avoidance (EBSA)

Emotionally Based School Avoidance is when a child struggles to attend school due to emotional distress such as anxiety, rather than truancy.  

It often links to unmet needs, including SEND or mental health issues and requires early support from school, families and often external agencies to reduce barriers to attendance. 

• EBSA describes when emotional distress prevents a child attending school regularly (beyond simply truancy).  

• Estimates suggest EBSA affects 1-2% of the UK school population, with higher prevalence in secondary school.  

• Many children with EBSA have diagnosed or suspected SEND and report inadequate support in school.  

Related risks of EBSA: 

• Risks include prolonged absence leading to social isolation, disengagement from education and the worsening of mental health conditions. 

• These children may miss opportunities for safeguarding professionals to notice concerns, increasing the chance that neglect, abuse, or exploitation goes undetected. 

3. SEND and the accessing of appropriate school places

Some children are unable to attend school because there are not enough suitable SEND places or resources to meet their needs within mainstream schooling.  

Without appropriate specialist provision or adequate support in mainstream schools, families may keep children at home, leading to missed education and increased safeguarding risks. 

• The number of pupils with SEND (both with EHC plans and without) has risen significantly and therefore providing appropriate placements to meet their needs demands more specialist and resourced provision. 

• It is widely reported about the shortage of suitable places for SEND children across the UK, with many waiting for special school or resourced provision placements. This in turn leads to children being completely out of school or in unsuitable settings because no place is available that meets their needs.  

• Where appropriate SEND provision is delayed or missing, some parents or children may feel that EHE is the only choice, but this can risk reduced engagement with support services and increase vulnerability. 

Related risks for SEND children not attending school: 

• The key risks are long-term exclusion from education, unmet needs escalating into crisis, and children falling out of sight of statutory safeguarding services. 

• These children may also face increased family stress and financial strain, which can compound existing vulnerabilities and impact overall wellbeing. 

What safeguarding leads and senior leaders can do: 

Schools and education settings play a vital role in safeguarding through daily contact with children, as well as offering both education and regular checks on their wellbeing.  

When attendance falters, safeguarding leads and senior leaders are key in recognising early warning signs, addressing barriers and coordinating support to ensure that children remain safe, visible and able to thrive. 

Here are some actions to help ensure children are not slipping through the gaps. 

1. Robust monitoring of attendance data 

• Track persistent and severe absence closely (school level, year group level, by pupil characteristics such as SEND status, Pupil Premium or FSM eligibility). 

• Identify early signs: increasing lateness, partial attendance or spikes in authorised or unauthorised absences. 

2. Early intervention for EBSA and mental health 

• Provide pastoral, SEND and mental health support proactively – seek help early where possible. 

• Work with the Local Authority, CAMHS or other local organisations to access support. 

• Ensure emotional wellbeing is part of regular review and planning, not just academic progress. 

3. Clear processes around EHE 

• When a parent requests EHE, ensure discussions of pros and cons, suitability, expected outcomes and safeguards are had. Make sure parents understand the size of the task and possible risks. 

• Maintain contact where possible: check on the child and their wellbeing, progress and safety. 

• Liaise with the Local Authority to ensure oversight and report concerns immediately.  

4. Keep fighting to secure appropriate SEND provision and places 

• Get to know your local SEND provision, network with other school leaders and share best practice.  

• Engage with Local Authority SEND teams, as well as Regional/National SEND strategies as relevant. 

• Advocate for timely EHCP assessments, regularly review your school’s capacity to support SEND, and focus on effective and timely deployment of resources to support all students.  

5. Multi-agency collaboration 

• All teams within school (attendance, SEND, pastoral and safeguarding) as well health and social care should be working together to share information, identify concerns and hold one another to account. 

6. Policies & training 

• Ensure staff understand EBSA, EHE, SEND rights and attendance obligations and what these mean for the children in your setting. 

• Training for pastoral/SEND teams to recognise signs of distress, unmet need and risk can support early identification and timely action taking. 

Summary:

Attendance is not simply about academic outcomes. From a safeguarding perspective, the presence of a child in school means regular opportunities to observe wellbeing, identify needs and the possibility to intervene early.  

Safeguarding leads and senior leaders must ensure that their schools do more than record absence. They must analyse it, respond to its root causes, ensure suitable SEND provision, maintain oversight of EHE and always work in partnership with families, Local Authorities, other agencies and most importantly the children themselves.  

Only by doing so can we protect children when they are most at risk – when they are not seen. 

If you need support with this issue, or with anything safeguarding-related at your school, please feel free to get in touch at safeguarding@servicesforeducation.co.uk

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  About the Author

Lucie Welch – Adviser, Services For Education

Lucie Welch has worked in the field of Primary Education for the last 15 years, holding the positions of Assistant Head of School, Designated Safeguarding Lead, Attendance Lead and Designated Teacher for Looked After Children. Through working across several local authorities and within multi-academy trusts, Lucie has garnered a passion for safeguarding and supporting children and young people to enable them to thrive.

At Services For Education, Lucie is an integral part of the Safeguarding team, sharing her expertise with schools, colleges, trusts, and other educational settings across the city of Birmingham and beyond. Dedicated to improving safeguarding practices in an actionable and impactful way, Lucie works closely with settings to provide bespoke training, supports with reflection on their own practices during Safeguarding audits and always strives to contribute to a better learning environment for all children. Through delivery of statutory training for DSLs and Safer Recruitment, Lucie works with colleagues in all age ranges and is a source of expertise within these areas.

Lucie also wears other important hats within the School Support Team. Not only is she dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of students through her role in safeguarding, but she also plays a key part in the PSHE/RSE and Health for Life teams. Additionally, Lucie partners with the Best Practice Network to deliver the Early Career Framework, supporting new teachers in their professional development.