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MANAGEMENT CIRCULAR No. 5 110/15

To Heads of all Schools*

Children and Young People Absent or Missing from School

When parents/carers enrol their child at place of education, it is the parents/carers responsibility to ensure that the child/young person attends on a regular basis. Whilst we are concerned about any child/young person living in Glasgow who is missing from education it is acknowledged that there can be valid reasons for a child not attending school. It is therefore essential that we adhere to agreed procedures in recording attendance which will identify those children/young people whose absence is authorised or unauthorised. In addition, accurate recording will also assist us in establishing those children missing from education, where it may not only be their educational attainment that is at risk, but also potentially their safety and welfare.

The following procedures, as detailed in Appendix 1 and 2, are based on the framework in the document ‘Safe and Well’ issued by The Scottish Government in 2005, and must be followed by all Glasgow Schools. Authorities are also supported in this process by Children Missing from Education (Scotland), a national co-ordinating body, piloted by the Scottish Executive, developed to track and trace children and young people missing from education.

1. The Head of School (or his/her delegate) are responsible for ensuring that information held on each child or young person is accurate and up to date. This includes not only all contact details for the child/young person concerned but also recording the attendance accurately of each child or young person on their school roll.

2. Heads of School should remind parents and carers annually of their responsibility to inform the school on the first day of absence of their child and each day thereafter, where appropriate.

3. Heads of School should put in place procedures to monitor children’s and young people’s attendance which places priority on securing the safety of all children and young people. For example, by phoning in the morning or using an electronic system which provides automatic alerts to parents/carers.

4. Where children and young people exhibit a pattern of absence (information on attendance and absence is detailed In Appendix 3), which may warrant investigation, Heads of School should instruct the Education Liaison Officer to investigate the matter or if the Education Liaison Officer is absent from work then a request should be progressed via the Education Liaison Officer Team Leader for your area, (full contact details available in Appendix 6, the contacts section, of this document).

October 2015Management Circular No. 5

Glasgow City CouncilEducation ServicesCity Chambers40 John StreetMerchant CityGLASGOWG1 1JL

* Schools refers to all Units, Early Years, Primary and Secondary Schools.


Schools should not only diligently record such absences (ensuring that the correct code is used for recording absences in Click+Go as detailed in Appendix 4), but also inform the Education Liaison Officer of additional absences as they occur. This not only allows a regular check to be kept on the reasons for absence but also enables systematic visits to the family to impress upon both parents/carers and children/young people the fact that failure to ensure regular attendance at the school has been noted. A further point is that the card on which the Education Liaison Officer’s observations are noted will provide the evidence necessary should action against the parents/carers be authorised. This information should be recorded in Click+Go under Home Visits.

5. Education Services has delegated to the Attendance Council the power to:

a) write, b) interview, c) refer for prosecution parents/carers in default of their responsibilities in accordance with the prescribed procedures. In addition the Attendance Council is empowered to refer the child or young person to the Reporter to the Children’s Panel, or impose a warning period, if this appears necessary.

6. The Head of School (or his/her delegate) will manage the work of the Education Liaison Officer and be responsible for the administrative work concerned with Paragraph 4 above. The Head of School (or his/her delegate) should also liaise with the Education Liaison Officer Team Leader who will monitor and ensure the effective use of the Education Liaison Officer resource in maximising attendance and will arrange absence and holiday cover for the Education Liaison Officer where required.

7. Where a child or young person cannot be located e.g. the known address is not occupied, Appendix 5 should be completed by the Head of School, in conjunction with the Education Liaison Officer, and forwarded to Children and Young People Support at [email protected]. This should be made within a four week period of the initial day of absence. However, if there are child protection concerns, referral should be made as early as possible (in extreme situations, consideration should be given to contacting Social Work Services or the Police). If additional information is received, relating to the missing child/young person, after the referral is made then this should be forwarded to Children and Young People Support as soon as possible

8. In accordance with S2S procedures, if the child/young person is located and the school is advised that the child/young person will not be returning to their place of education, and will be transferring to another named place of education the Head of School can have the child/young person marked as a leaver and removed from the school roll. However, this should only be done when the receiving school is within Scotland. The Head of School should ensure that all records relating to the child/young person, including the PPR, are accurate and up to date, prior to transfer to the receiving school.

If the known location is outwith Scotland, advice should be sought from Children and Young People Support.

9. If, after investigation, there is no evidence of the whereabouts of the child or young person, instruction will be given by the Children Missing from Education Co-ordinator (full contact details available in Appendix 6, the contacts section, of this document) to the school to mark the child or young person as a leaver in Click+Go. The Reason for Leaving field has a drop down menu. Guidance will be given as to the appropriate Reason to choose. Any information available should be entered in the Destination Details box as this provides a clear audit trail for Children Missing from Education (Scotland). The Leaving Date should be the last day the child or young person was in school.

10. The Head of School should ensure that they take cognisance of the above information when they are developing the school’s Absence Policy.

Maureen McKennaExecutive Director of Education

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Management Circular No. 5APPENDIX 1

DAY ONEChild/Young Person absent

Parent/Carer contactsschool/centre

Parent/Carer does not contactschool/centre

School/Centre contacts home,if LAC also contacts Social Work Services

No further action

No response despite repeated attempts

Parent/Carer explains absence/identifies

duration of absence

Child/Young person continues to be absent

(see Chart Two)

If child/young person is on

Child Protection Register then the school/

centre should contact Social Work ServicesSchool/Centre records absence

using appropriate code on SEEMIS

School/Centre records absence using appropriate code on

SEEMIS

Chart One


Child/Young Person continues to be absent/is repeatedly absent

School/Centre contacts home by letter/phone call/appointment

(HT, PT Pastoral Care, Attendance Team)

School/Centre continues to record absence using appropriate code on SEEMIS

If child/young person is onChild Protection Register

then the school/centre should contact Social Work

Services

No further action Child/Young person continues to be absent

Parent/Carer explains absence

Child/Young person returns to school

Child’s/Young person’s absence explained (child/young person

should be seen)

Education Liaison Officer visits home

No explanation/unsatisfactory explanation (child/young person should be seen)

No response

Referral to Education Services headquarters

by Head of School/Centre using

Appendix 5: Children and Young People Missing

from EducationNOTE - Maximum of

four week period prior to referral

Warning letter(s) issued

Referral toAttendance Council by Head of School/Centre

Local search carried out by Education Liaison

Officer


Chart Two



ATTENDANCE and ABSENCE in Glasgow Schools

Scottish Government Circulars 5/03 and 5/03 – Addendum gave specific guidance to schools and education authorities on the categorisation of attendance and absence.

Attendance is defined as:

• participation in the programme of educational activities arranged by the school.

Attendance with a school is also covered by:

• work experience;• educational visits;• day and residential visits to outdoor centres;• college/consortium school study;• interviews and visits relating to further and/or higher education;• debates, sports, musical or theatrical productions etc. arranged by, or in conjunction with, the

school;• activities in connection with Psychological Services;• school medical examinations – off-site;• hospital tuition;• Study leave during the SQA diet of exams;• Receiving tuition via hospital or outreach teaching services;• Medical and dental appointments;• Sickness with appropriate educational provision;• Part-time/Reduced authorised by Head of Service.

Authorised absence is defined as:

• sickness without education provision;• bereavement;• short-term exceptional domestic circumstances;• lack of transport - including due to bad weather;• religious observance, not previously agreed by the school;• family holidays in exceptional circumstances only;• meetings prior to and in court;• attendance at or in connection with a Children’s Hearing or Care Review;• weddings of immediate family;• agreed debates, sports, musical or theatrical productions not arranged by or in conjunction with

the school;• sanctioned extended absence in relation to children of travelling families.


Unauthorised absence is defined as:

• truancy (unauthorised absence from school for any period as a result of premeditated or spontaneous action on the part of child or young person, parent/carer or both);

• family holidays during term-time, other than in exceptional circumstances;• unexplained absence;• long-term exceptional domestic circumstances.

Extended leave

Recorded separately outwith the figures for attendance and absence, and includes circumstances such as:

• extended overseas educational trips not organised by the school;• short-term parental placement abroad;• family returning to its country of origin (to care for a relative, or for cultural reasons).



Attendance and Absence codes for use in Click+Go

Events which do not contribute to possible attendance

CODE Short Code CATEGORY

HOL H Holiday

CLO C Closed (e.g. election)

INS I In-Service

SNA H Should Not Attend (only to be used to record part-time/reduced timetable authorised by Head of Service)

EXL Z Extended leave with parental/carer consent Extended overseas educational trips not organised by the school; Short-term parental/carer placement abroad; Family returning to its country of origin (to care for a relative, or for cultural

reasons).

REL Religious observance previously agreed by the school


Attendance


Present

PER P Absent for medical or dental reasons Off-site school medical and dental examinations

MIS M Missing

FLD V Field Trip Day and residential visits to outdoor centres

VIS V School Visit Educational visits; Interviews and visits relating to further and/or higher education; Debates, sports, musical or theatrical productions etc. arranged by, or in

conjunction with, the school

STY S Study Leave Study Leave (SQA diet only)

LAT J Late (arrives before mid-point)

WRK W Work Placement Work experience

SEP B Sickness with educational provision Receiving tuition via hospital or outreach teaching services

SCH ~ In school but not in class

OAT O Other attendance out of school College/Consortium school study; Activities in connection with Psychological Services; Children and young people of travelling families with alternative off-site provision

provided they are on the roll of the school


Events which count as an authorised absence


MED F Medically Certified

SEL D Self-Certified LT2 K Late (arrives after mid-point) At the discretion of the Head of Establishment

PHL E Authorised Parental/Carer Holiday A family holiday judged to be important to the wellbeing and cohesion of the

family, following serious or terminal illness, bereavement or other traumatic causes

DCA Q Exceptional domestic circumstances (authorised)

The period immediately after an accident or illness; A period of serious or critical illness of a close relative; A domestic crisis which causes serious disruption to the family home, causing

temporary relocation

ABS A Other Authorised Absence Sickness; Religious observance not covered by ; Meetings prior to, and in, court; Attendance at, or in connection with, a Children’s Hearing or Care Review; Weddings of immediate family; Agreed debates, sports, musical or theatrical productions not arranged by, or

not in conjunction with, the school; Bereavements; Attendance at court; Lack of transport - including due to bad weather; Sporting and cultural events not arranged by the school, but approved by them

Unauthorised Absence


TBC T To Be Confirmed

UPH G Parental/Carer Holiday Most family holidays during term time

UNA U Truancy or Unexplained Absence Unexplained absence; Truancy (unauthorised absence from school for any period as a result of

premeditated or spontaneous action of the part of the child/young person or both).

DCU R Exceptional domestic circumstances (unauthorised)

OUA N Other unauthorised absence

Absence due to temporary exclusion


EXC X Now categorised separately

Children and Young People Missing

Emergency Contact Details

Name of Parent/Carer

Surname

Forename(s)

Scottish Candidate Number

1

2

Address

StageDate of Birth

Phone/Mobile

Phone/Mobile

Postcode

Phone/Mobile

Phone/Mobile

Education Services

PLEASE USE BLACK INK AND BLOCK LETTERS

Name of School/Centre


Prior to making this referral the following checks and completion of form must be carried out in conjunction with the Education Liaison Officer.

History of exclusion

Medical issues

History of long holiday(s)

Asylum Seeker

Any characteristics/distinguishing features of child/young person or family including ethnic background

YES NO

Please tick

YES NO

Please tick

YES NO

Please tick

YES NO

Please tick

Looked After Child

Cultural issues

Traveller family

Educated at home

YES NO

Please tick

YES NO

Please tick

YES NO

Please tick

YES NO

Please tick

Child Protection Register

Additional support needs/planning(Additional Support Plan/ Co-ordinated Support Plan in place)

Child Protection investigation

Known siblings

YES NO

Please tick

YES NO

Please tick

YES NO

Please tick

Joint Support Team involvement YES NO

Please tick

YES NO

Please tick

from Education

MANAGEMENT CIRCULAR NO. 5 APPENDIX 5 Children and Young People Missing from Education10/15

Education Services Glasgow City Council10


If YES, please give details

APPENDIX 5

Result of Home Visit(s) (including any forwarding address attained)

Neighbours questioned

Date of Last Attendance

Date of Home Visit(s)

3

Please Tick

% of Attendance (Academic Year)

City Search request to Children and Young People Support section

Result of City Search

Date

Date

YES NO

Classmates questioned YES NO

Emergency contacts questioned YES NO

Local Housing Association questioned YES NO

MANAGEMENT CIRCULAR NO. 5 APPENDIX 5 Children and Young People Missing from Education

Details (including why contact was not made)

Doctors practice questioned YES NO

Local Police questioned YES NO

Concierge questioned YES NO

Education Services staff questioned YES NO

Voluntary Organisations involved with family questioned YES NO

Social Work Services staff questioned YES NO

You must return this completed form to [email protected]

10/15Glasgow City Council Education Services 11

4

Signature of Head of School/Centre Date of Referral

Please include any other information that you have not identified above that may be of assistance including other agency/organisation inpute.g. Interpreter Services/GASP etc.

DETAILS OF HOME VISIT BY EDUCATION LIAISON OFFICER AND CITY SEARCH

DETAILS OF LOCAL SEARCH BY EDUCATION LIAISON OFFICER



Useful Contacts

EDUCATION LIAISON TEAM LEADERS:

North:Vacant, All Saints Secondary School, 299 Ryehill Road, Glasgow G21 3EN Phone 0141 582 0010

North West:Isobel McGhee, Drumchapel High School, 45 Cally Avenue, Glasgow G15 7SQ Phone 0141 582 0070

North East:Liz McMillan, Eastbank Academy, 26 Academy Street, Glasgow G32 9AA Phone 0141 582 0080

South West:John Mitchell, Bellahouston Academy, 30 Gower Terrace, Glasgow G41 5QE Phone 0141 582 0030

South East:Claire Taylor, Castlemilk High School, 223 Castlemilk Drive, Glasgow G45 9JY Phone 0141 582 0050

Children Missing from Education Co-ordinator:Karen Wynne, Education Services, Glasgow City Council City Chambers, 40 John Street, Glasgow G1 1JLPhone 0141 287 7477



Children Missing from Education - Useful Contacts

PERSONAL CONTACTS

Family Members – check SEEMIS Pupil Record and PPR in school.

Friends of Mum/Dad/whoever brings child to school or collects at the end of the day – ask class teacher/PSA for information.

Neighbours – ask if they have seen the family recently and, if not, do they know where the family have gone. Were the family friendly with any of the neighbours? Did they have extended family nearby?

Parents’/Carers’ Employers – ask family members or neighbours if they know where the parents’/carers’ were employed.

EDUCATION CONTACTS

School staff (including Support Staff, Catering Staff and Janitors) – ask for information.

Emergency Contacts – check SEEMIS Pupil Record and PPR in school.

Friends of Child/Young Person – are they in contact via phone, text, social networking websites, etc.

Nursery or school attended by siblings or members of the wider family – ask for information.

OTHER AGENCIES

Social Work Services:

Area Team – phone to ask if the child/young person is known to them or any other area team.

Homeless Team – based at Hamish Allan Centre, phone 0141 287 1800.

HOUSING

Housing Association – find the local Housing Association by using the search on: www.gha.org.uk/content

Landlords (Private Let) – ask the current tenant or neighbours for the name and contact details of the landlord.

Estate Agent (Owner Occupied) – if the house has a For Sale notice, ask the estate agent for contact details for the family or for the name and address of their solicitor.

Homeless Casework Team – phone the Hamish Allan Centre on 0141 287 1834 to enquire if the family have presented as homeless. If so, they will give you the name and number of the appropriate team.

Homeless Health Team – once you have established that a family are homeless, this team often have the most up to date information about their whereabouts and current circumstances.


HEALTH

Health Visitor – can be contacted via the GP practice.

GP Practice Manager – ask if any member of the family have accessed health services since the last date of school attendance. If they have, ask if the practice holds a more up to date address or phone number.

GP Registration Manager (Primary Care Trust) – Janet Mair ([email protected]) can provide information about which GP a child/young person is registered to and if their registration has been transferred to another area, she will give you details of the new GP.

IMMIGRATION

Glasgow Asylum Seekers Support Project – phone 0141 222 7364 can supply details of the whereabouts of families who are registered with them for support.

Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate – Martin McCallum, phone 0141 555 1493 can provide information about a family’s current status and their whereabouts. Martin can also tell you if the family are currently receiving financial and/or practical support.

MISCELLANEOUS

Police – the Local Community Officer is a useful source of information.

Reporter to the Children’s Panel – contact Bell Street on phone 0300 200 1444 to enquire if the young person is known to the Reporter.

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