RESEARCH released by a children’s charity shows that nearly one in three children are facing barriers to education outside of the school gates.
Action for Children has revealed new figures from surveys of teachers showing that students in the south east grapple with behavioural or emotional issues, unstable family environments, and mental health challenges.
It commissioned a survey of teachers asking about issues which posed challenges for students in engaging with school work and what proportion of their students they thought were experiencing those problems.
Of those surveyed, just 2% thought that pupils facing those challenges would achieve their expected grades by the end of the current academic year.
It reported that around 32%–just under one in three–were facing barriers to their education.
Of those, 65% were thought to be facing emotional or behavioural issues, and 65% were thought to be facing an unstable family environment.
More than half (56%) were thought to be experiencing mental health challenged, and 45% were thought to be struggling with school refusal or poor attendance.
Poverty was thought to be affecting 30% of students.
The data also showed a north-south divide, as teachers in the midlands and the north were more likely to report that at least half of their pupils were facing barriers to education.
One in three respondents in the north west said this was the case in their classrooms, dropping to 27% in London, and 21% in the south east.
Many teachers felt they were providing services beyond their remit such as providing family support or essentials such as food or clothing to pupils.
They said that it increased workloads for already under-resourced staff and making it harder to teach– in turn contributing to staff leaving the profession.
Following the release of the data, Action for Children is calling for more support from the government to address problems face by pupils.
This includes proposals such as making it a legal requirement for regional authorities to provide early-stages support services and provide appropriate funding.
It is also calling for the promotion and use of family liaison officers in schools and the establishment of education systems as a fourth legal safeguarding partner in England.
It proposes also that the government give more support to councils to help integrate their early-stage support services into family services to provide a single point of contact for those that need support.
Kate Isham, Action for Children’s south east operational director, said: “For too long, education and children’s policy has been too narrowly focused on what is happening in schools and has failed to address issues that lie beyond the school gates.
“Those issues often severely limit a child’s ability to arrive at school happy, healthy and ready to learn.
“Schools alone cannot tackle issues such as the growing attainment gap or attendance crisis.”
She explained: “Action for Children’s frontline workers support families every day and our Education Fund has provided 10,0006 grants to help families pay for school essentials, allowing children to focus on what’s important and feel more confident in school.”
“In this general election year, it’s vital that all political parties focus on children – including what they need both inside and outside school.
“This should include building a well-functioning and sufficiently funded early help system for children and parents in need of support.”
More information about Action for Children and its work is available via: actionforchildren.org.uk
