A child missing from education is a child or young person of compulsory school age who is not on a school roll and who is not receiving a suitable education otherwise.
Children missing from education fall into 2 broad categories:
- CME – WASP (Without a school place) - those whose whereabouts and circumstances are known to the local authority but who have, for whatever reason, been out of education for 4 school weeks or more.
- CME - Missing - those who are ‘lost’ - children who have apparently disappeared, usually with their families, and the local authority knows neither where they are, nor anything of their circumstances.
Both categories of young people are at risk of not achieving their educational potential and could be placing their safety and welfare at risk.
We are committed to ensuring every child and young person in the county has the opportunity to grow up in a safe community and are concerned about any child missing education not only in the way that it impacts on the individual’s potential achievement but also in relation to their safety and welfare.
The children missing education team exist to ensure that children and young people missing education are re-engaged in appropriate education provision in the shortest possible time, with lasting success and that 'no child slips through the net'.