The ‘ghost children’ problem: why so many are still missing school
This Is Why
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The Problem With Persistent Truants
Just over 125,000 children were out of school more than they were in for the first time this academic year. In autumn 2022, 1.7 million children were missing the equivalent of one morning a week, 10%. That's up 84% since the pandemic. Three times as many children receiving free school meals are severely absent from school. By far the biggest cohort of absent children are those actually with special educational needs and disabilities. For them and their parents, school is a tricky business to get into. And for many, they just don't fit in.
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