Children Missing Education
Who are they?
These are children who may not have a school place, or they may be children who have left a school but their parents have not told the old school where they're moving to. In most cases children children who are believed to be Children Missing Education (CME) are going to school, but the old school does not know where they have gone and the new school don't know where they came from.
Certain groups of children are more at risk of becoming CME, which is why successfully tracking children's school provision is very important - this way we can make sure all children are safe.
Children Missing Education should not be confused with…
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Children who are registered at a school but are absent due to illness or "truancy", these children should be brought to the attention of the school's Education Welfare Officer if needed.
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Children who are Educated at Home (also known as being Electively Home Educated)
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Children whose parents have applied for a school place and are going through admissions procedures.
"Working Together to Safeguard Children" published by the Department for Children Schools and Families in March 2010 says. "There is a Children Missing Education (CME) named point of contact in every Local Authority. Every practitioner working with a child has a responsibility to inform their CME contact if they know or suspect that a child is not receiving education. To help local agencies and professionals find children who are missing from education and identify those that are at risk of going missing from education, guidance was issued in July 2004, identifying and maintaining contact with children missing, or at risk of going missing, from education."
How you can help
If you know of any child who is not receiving an education, has been taken off-roll by a school and the school doesn't know where they have gone, or you know of a child who simply seems to have "disappeared" please contact:
Steve Hewitt, Children Missing Education Officer
School Organisation, Admissions and Transport
Sixth Floor, Wedgwood Building
Tipping Street,
Stafford
ST16 2DH
Office: 01785 278999,
Mobile: 07773 791593
E-mail: steve.hewitt@staffordshire.gov.uk|
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