Service 

Children missing education are children of compulsory school age who are not registered pupils at a school and are not receiving suitable education otherwise than at a school. Children missing education are at significant risk of underachieving, being victims of harm, exploitation or radicalisation, and becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) later in life.

The local authority has a duty to identify children in their area who are not registered pupils at a school and who are not receiving suitable education otherwise.  

To enable this, if a pupil fails to attend school for 10 days after an authorised absence, or is absent from school for 20 consecutive school days and the school have been unable to establish the reasons for the absence, the school are required to notify the local authority that the pupil is a child missing education using the CME reporting portal 

A child is not missing education if:

• Their whereabouts are known, and school understands that they have refused to attend school
• Their whereabouts are known, and school understands that they have a diagnosed medical condition which is preventing them from attending school
• They are receiving education via elective home education

Once the team are informed of a child missing education, they will work with the school to establish the reason for the child’s absence and advise the school on whether the pupil should be removed from their admission register. 

The team will also take appropriate action to ensure that children and young people not registered pupils at a school and are not receiving suitable education otherwise than at a school are registered at a school and re-engage with their education as quickly as is possible. 

Staff contact information and team details

For further information regarding children missing education contact cme@bcpcouncil.gov.uk