Young people who are most at risk of serious violence or gang exploitation will receive targeted support to keep them engaged in education and attending lessons

The DfE have announced the following extra support for attendance in some areas of the country.

The targeted support, backed by £30 million, is a part of a rollout of 10 ‘SAFE’ (Support, Attend, Fulfil, Exceed) taskforces in ‘hotspot’ areas, where incidents of serious youth violence are highest. These will be led by local schools, bringing headteachers together to support vulnerable young people, and avoid them becoming involved in county lines and criminal activity.

The investment will help focus on improving pupils’ attendance, reducing the likelihood of young people being permanently excluded from school, keeping young people focused on their education.

Children and Families Minister Will Quince said:

Keeping young people engaged with their education has never been more important. These taskforces are helping school leaders and vital support services work together to support some of the most vulnerable young people across the country, helping to keep them on the right track and stop them missing lessons.

Through the work of these taskforces, combined with our ongoing SEND Review, the independent review of children’s social care, and our investment in Alternative Provision and other specialist support, this government is levelling up opportunities for all young people to help fulfil their potential and achieve better outcomes.

The government have also today announced the 22 schools benefitting from Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforces, which work directly with young people in Alternative Provision settings to offer intensive support from experts, including mental health professionals, family workers, and speech and language therapists. Bringing this wider range of professionals together aims to reduce the risk to these pupils of being exploited and entering a life of crime, and helping them move into further education, employment or training after they finish school.

Areas benefitting from a SAFE Taskforce

• Birmingham
• Newham
• Manchester
• Lambeth
• Leeds
• Southwark
• Sheffield
• Bradford
• Liverpool
• Haringey

Alternative Provision Settings benefitting from AP Specialist Taskforces

• Bradford AP Academy Centre, Bradford
• Haringey Learning Partnership, Haringey
• Manchester Secondary PRU, Manchester
• Orchardside School, Enfield
• Saffron Valley Collegiate, Croydon
• Sandwell Community School, Sandwell
• Snowdon Village (Bristol Future’s Academy), Bristol
• Southwark Inclusive Learning Service (SILS), Southwark
• Stephen Longfellow Academy, Leeds
• Tunmarsh School, Newham
• Unity Academy, Nottingham
• St Wilfrid’s Academy, Doncaster
• Park Campus Academy, Lambeth
• Brent River College, Brent
• City of Birmingham School, Birmingham
• Ealing Alternative Provision (EAP), Ealing
• Everton Free School, Liverpool
• Leicester Partnership School, Leicester
• London East AP, Tower Hamlets

The long awaited High Court Judgement was given on 16 November 2021, creating new case-law on Elective Home Education. A Home Educating parent (Mrs Goodred)claimed the Council were imposing on her and others in a similar position, the burden of proving that her children are receiving a suitable education at home, when the statutory scheme does not (at that point) impose such a burden. Mrs Goodred also took objection to the Council’s policy on Elective Home Education, issuing School Attendance Order’s where the Council is not satisfied of ‘suitable education’ and claimed its policy and approach meant a SAO could be issued where the council has no concerns.