Dear Gillian
I am writing to share the many concerns that have been raised by children, families, and
professionals with the Commission on Young Lives about the impact of the continued high levels of
school absence on children's education, mental health and, for some, vulnerability to harm and
exploitation by criminal gangs.
Despite this problem becoming apparent over a year ago, I am concerned that there has been little
progress in tackling it. As you are aware, levels of both persistent and severe absence from school
have remained high since the pandemic. Schools and local authorities are often working hard to
improve attendance, but the reasons a child is not attending school regularly can be complex and
require the kind of bespoke long-term work and specialist support that few have the capacity to
provide.
