Posted: Sat 1st Feb 2020

Mental health issues contributing to increased school absences in Flintshire

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales
This article is old - Published: Saturday, Feb 1st, 2020

Mental health issues have contributed to an increase in the number of pupils in Flintshire who are absent from school, councillors have been told. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It comes after education watchdog Estyn recently highlighted the need to improve attendance at both primary and secondary level in the county. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The biggest problems have been encountered in secondary schools with attendance figures for 2018/19 standing at 93.3 per cent, which is below the Welsh average. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The issue was discussed at a meeting of Flintshire Council’s education scrutiny committee on Thursday where members were also informed almost 500 youngsters were absent from high schools on a regular basis. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The local authority is now working to provide support by collaborating with the health service, but an officer has warned there are no quick solutions. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Jeanette Rock, the council’s senior manager for inclusion, said: “I think we’ve got very changing communities and very changing pressures on young people and our schools. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The area where we have seen a significant increase is around mental health difficulties. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It appears that we’ve got an increasing number of young people who are unable to engage in education. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We’ve had meetings recently with our colleagues in child and adolescent mental health services to highlight this.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Ms Rock said the current system for assisting youngsters with mental health problems was “too rigid” and needed to be improved. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

As a result, more flexibility is set to be offered for pupils who struggle to get to health appointments. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

During the meeting, concerns were also raised about parents taking their children out of schools for family holidays during term time. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The report showed it was the second highest reason for absence in primary schools. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Cllr Kevin Hughes said: “I wonder how many of these are repeated offenders and do we check if families are taking children out in June for a holiday and then in December. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I know the Welsh Government says it’s ten days they can take, but it’s not right is it? ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We need to be telling parents and I just wonder how we can get it across to them. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I was talking to a guy the other day who takes his daughter out more than once a year. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“He said he was thinking about his pocket and if he got a fixed penalty it would still be cheaper. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I can understand that, but I think we need to stress to parents that their children need to be in school.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Committee chair David Healey, who’s a former teacher, agreed that children would pay the price for missing out on learning. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Officers said headteachers were able to keep track of the number of holidays taken and would challenge parents who removed pupils for more than ten days. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

At the end of the meeting, the committee voted to support the steps being taken to improve attendance levels. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Feature image – Sky News ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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