Wiltshire Council encouraging children back into education
There's been a significant rise in child anxiety leading to missed classes
Many children in Wiltshire are returning to school following the Christmas break, but there will be some dreading the start of term.
For some it's likely to be a blip before getting back into the flow of things, but for others, the anxiety can be too much to handle and lead them to be absent from school for an extended time.
Families are being urged by Wiltshire Council to seek advice in helping children and young people return to school.
As part of a multi-agency approach, Wiltshire Council works with their partners to address the issues around attending school, with a team of education welfare officers on hand to support children finding attendance difficult.
Along with their partners, the council are working on wraparound support for children to solve the school attendance issue.
The message from the Council to families with children struggling to go to school is that you're not alone.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, school attendance across the nation has seen a marked drop in school attendance, which is reflected in Wiltshire.
The council are asking families to speak to them or to their child's school to develop a plan of support for the child in order to get them back into education.
Cllr Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills said: “We are worried there are many children not attending school at the moment, but we know being in school is the best place for them to be. It’s where they can be with their friends, learn, enjoy life and thrive. Post pandemic we’ve seen a marked increase in anxiety levels in pupils which can then become a reason not to go to school. That’s just one factor, and of course there are a host of other reasons why a child may refuse to attend. But missing school can have a long-term impact and we want our children, young people and families to be supported.
“That’s why we’re raising awareness with families that they are not alone. They can pick up the phone and speak to their school or our education welfare officers. We are all want the best for our children. We want parents, children and young people to feel supported and to have the tools they need to get back to school. Our business plan commits us to ensuring every one of our children achieves their optimal physical, emotional and mental health. Attending schools helps to achieve this.”