School attendance and mental wellbeing

Reduced or non-attendance at school by a child or young person is often rooted in emotional, mental health of wellbeing issues.

Some examples of non-attendance risk factors could include:

• anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns
• trauma
• being a young carer
• bullying
• having a special educational need or disability

This resource explores the risk factors for school non-attendance and looks at universal and targeted approaches that school staff can take to tackle the issue in their setting.

It also includes a case study exploring how schools can work with others to support children and young people experiencing challenges with non-attendance.

Using this resource

This resource is designed for:

• use by education staff in primary and secondary settings
• use by school leaders, senior mental health leads and classroom teachers