Children Missing from Education (CME)

Version: 0.5

Document Dated 30 March 2016

Review Date: TBA

Children Missing from Education

(CME)

Policy and procedures for when children go missing

from school.

Guidance for:-

All Birmingham schools, including academies and

free schools, and partner agencies Birmingham

September 2017.

Review: September 2018

Contents

Page

1. Introduction

2. The legal framework

3. Definition - Children Missing education

4. Roles and responsibilities

5. Procedures following BCC’s completion of reasonable enquiries

6. Contacts

7. CME or Attendance Flowchart?

8. Appendix A – Children most at risk of becoming CME

9. Appendix B – CME Referral Form 2017/18

1. Introduction

Birmingham City Council (BCC) is committed to ensuring that every child of compulsory

school age is receiving an excellent full-time education which will give them the

opportunity to build their own futures. Parents/carers have a duty to ensure children are

receiving suitable full-time education, either by regular attendance at school or

otherwise.

If a child is not in school, they are at significant risk of underachieving, becoming victims

of abuse, and becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) later in life.

Children may not be attending or may leave school for a number of reasons, but if they

are still of compulsory school age, then parents, schools and local authorities have a

responsibility to ensure the continuity of their education.

The purpose of this policy is to set out clear & robust procedures for schools,

academies, free schools, Birmingham City Council and partner agencies to follow, in

order to try and locate children who are absent from school and their family

whereabouts is unknown.

2. The legal framework

The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental

Freedoms, Article 2 of protocol No 1 states:

“No person shall be denied the right to education”

Section 436A of the Education Act 1996 requires all local authorities to make

arrangements to establish the identities of children of compulsory school age in their

area who are not registered pupils at a school, and are not receiving suitable education

otherwise than at school.

Regulations 8(f) and 8(h) of the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations

2006, as amended, place a duty on schools and local authorities to jointly carry out

reasonable enquiries to try and locate pupils absent from school whose whereabouts

are unknown.

3. Definition – Children Missing from Education (CME)

This policy refers ‘to any child of compulsory school age who has been registered at a

formally approved education setting, e.g. school, academy, alternative provision,

independent school or elective home education, and has been out of education

provision for a period of time.

The Birmingham City Council Children Missing from Education (CME) team works

jointly with schools in respect of pupils on roll at school, who are absent from school and

their whereabouts is unknown’.

This might be:

 A child who is not at their last known address and:

 has 5 or more days of continuous absence from school without explanation, or:

 has left school suddenly and their destination is unknown.

This policy does not cover those children not receiving education due to a family not

taking up an offer of a school place from the School Admissions Service. For such

cases, please refer to Birmingham School Admissions,

Telephone: 0121 216 3621(for schools & professional partners only).

Email: www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions

This policy does not refer to children who are missing from view or absent from Home

or Care. When a child goes missing from the home, or from care, or where the school

has significant safeguarding concerns for the child, the school must refer these children

immediately to the Childrens Advisory Support Service (CASS), and/or to the Police.

There is a separate policy that outlines the procedures for Social Care practitioners.

(See the Birmingham City Council, Missing from Home or Care, Practice Guidance for

Children’s Services, 2016).

4. Roles and responsibilities:-

i) Parents/carers role

Parents have a responsibility to ensure that their children of compulsory school age are

receiving efficient full-time education. Some parents may elect to home educate their

children and may withdraw them from school at any time to do so (unless they are

subject to a School Attendance Order). Where a parent notifies the school in writing of

their intention to home educate, the school must inform the local authority using the

Birmingham City Council EHE referral form, before deleting the child from its admission

Education’ for the corresponding Service Policy dated April 2016 for further guidance).

Telephone: 0121 464 7215

Email: home.education@birmingham.gov.uk

Children with special educational needs and have an Education, Health and Care (EHC)

Plan can be home educated. Where the EHC plan sets out special educational

provision that the child should receive at home, the local authority is under a duty to

arrange that provision. Where the EHC plan names a school as the place where the

child should receive his or her education and the parent chooses to home educate their

child, the local authority must assure itself that the provision being made by the parent

is suitable to the child’s special educational needs and this must be reviewed annually.

Telephone: 0121 303 5489 or 303 4175

Email: [email protected] or mycareinbirmingham.org.uk

Parents have a responsibility to inform the school or Local Authority of their child’s new

school destination and home address if they are moving to a new school, at any time

during the period of statutory education.

ii) Schools’ role and duties

Schools have safeguarding duties under section 175 of the Education Act 2002 in

respect of their pupils and in respect of this they should investigate any unexplained

absences. Academies and independent schools have the same safeguarding duty

under section 157 of the Education Act.

Schools must monitor pupil attendance through their daily register and should address

poor attendance whenever this occurs. Any child whose whereabouts are known but

continues to have unauthorised absences, should be assessed to determine if they

have additional needs and require support such as an FCAF, referral to Early Help, or to

the school nurse or CASS, etc. If there are no additional needs and the parent does not

consent to additional support, or support has been put in place and it has not impacted

on attendance, the school should place the child on the ‘Spotlight on Attendance’

program. Further information on the Spotlight on Attendance program can accessed by

contacting [email protected].

Schools must also arrange full-time education for excluded pupils from the sixth

school day of a fixed period exclusion. If the pupil is permanently excluded, the Local

Authority will arrange provision from the sixth day onwards.

Telephone: Exclusions Team 0121 303 2685

Email: [email protected]

If a child is absent from school and their whereabouts is unknown, schools have a duty

to carry out a reasonable enquiry jointly with the local authority to ascertain the

whereabouts, which might be a result of:-

 The family moving within the city but the parents fail to inform the school of the

house move or transfer to a new school.

 The family move out of the city and relocate to a new area within the UK but

parents fail to inform the school.

 The family relocate abroad and fail to inform the school of their destination.

 The family is displaced as a result of ‘crisis’ e.g. domestic violence,

homelessness.

 Parent/school disagreement and parents withdraw the child from school.

 Family separation.

In these instances, all schools should ensure the following actions are taken and

recorded:

 Call the CME Team to conduct ‘background checks’ on the family

 Consider the likely reason for the absence – has the family been granted leave of

absence or is the school aware of an extended trip abroad; has the child been

absent due to sickness or unavoidable cause? If not:

 Make a first day of absence call to the parents to establish the reason for the

absence and to confirm the child’s whereabouts.

 Check with all members of staff who the child may have had contact with.

 Check with the child’s friends, siblings and known relatives at this school or other

schools.

 Make enquiries with other professionals who have been involved with the child.

 Make telephone calls to any numbers held or identified.

 Conduct a visit to the last known address of the child within the first five days of

the child’s absence.

 If possible, enquire of neighbours about the location of the family.

 Send a letter to the last known address and record the outcome.

 Refer the child to the BCC ‘CME’ team within the first five days of the child’s

absence and inform BCC’s CME officer telephone: - 0121 303 4983, and

complete the ‘Missing Pupil’ referral form (Appendix B) which can also be

downloaded from the Education Noticeboard. Completed referral forms should

be sent as an email attachment to the secure address;

[email protected]ov.uk

iii) Local Authority role and duties

Birmingham City Council has procedures in place to prevent children at risk of

becoming CME.

When the CME Officer receives referrals from schools, they will undertake a joint

enquiry with the school to try to locate the family and ensure the child is in receipt of a

suitable education.

The CME Officer will ensure the referral is checked to see if the child/family is known to

Children’s Social Care (CSC) by accessing the ‘CareFirst’ database. If known to CSC,

the CME Officer will contact the named CSC officer to alert them to the child’s missing

education status.

The CME Officer will assess all referrals to ensure that the school’s reasonable enquiry

is underway and that any safeguarding concerns identified by the school are clearly

noted and have been promptly referred to the CASS and/or the Police.

Any significant safeguarding concerns highlighted within the referral but not reported to

CASS and/or the Police by the school or referrer will be actioned immediately and

appropriately by the CME Officer and will be discussed with the Head Teacher and

Designated Safeguarding Lead of the referring school to ensure that such concerns are

appropriately escalated in the future.

After the initial checks, all referrals will be flagged on BCC’s Central Pupil Database,

‘Impulse,’ as ‘child missing’ and a note to this effect will be placed on the child’s record.

This will enable any Birmingham professional accessing the child’s education record to

be alerted to the child’s current status and prompt them to share any appropriate

intelligence on the child’s current whereabouts with the CME Team.

An email confirming receipt of the referral will be sent by the CME Officer to the

referring school.

5. Procedures following completion of joint reasonable enquiries

The CME Team will complete a series of checks to try and locate the child and ensure

the child is in receipt of a suitable education. These checks include:

 Checking the Central Pupil Database “Impulse” for information on the child’s

destination.

 Checking the Birmingham City Council Data Warehouse. The Data Warehouse

allows access to the Electoral Register; the list of Birmingham City Council

Housing Tenants; and various other Council services and will ascertain if the

parent/carers are still registered at last known address.

 Checking with the Home Office Intelligence/UK Borders Agency in respect of

suspected family movements abroad where necessary.

 Checking NHS and GP records via access to the Child Heath Service database.

 Accessing DfE databases; including Key to Success’ and School to School (s2s),

 Using social networking sites such as ‘Facebook’ to try and locate the

parents/carer of the pupil.

 Undertaking home visits to locate children and families if necessary.

 If at any stage of the enquiry into a child’s whereabouts schools or BCC have

concerns for a child’s safety, an immediate referral must be made to CASS by

completing and submitting a ‘Request for Support’ referral form to:

 [email protected] (secure email), or:

For advice on particular cases, CASS can be contacted on 0121 303 1888 or out of

hours on 0121 675 4806.

The School and the CME Team will aim to complete their joint enquiry as quickly as

possible and will inform any other associated professional of the outcome.

Upon completion of the reasonable enquiry the CME Team will confer with the child’s

school to confirm the outcome.

The vast majority of children are found with their families and are in receipt of suitable

education. A collaborative agreement will be made between the school and the CME

team on the appropriateness of removing the child from the school roll. This is

essential, to safeguard against premature/illegal deletions from roll.

Where the child/family are not found, and the risk assessment indicates no obvious

safeguarding concerns, the case will remain ‘open pending further enquiries’ in the

archive system and will be systematically uploaded to the BCC Data Warehouse to alert

key partners with system access, including the Police, to notify the CME team of any

information which may confirm the current whereabouts of the child.

Contacts:

 CME Officer – Karen Prosser at:-

Telephone: 0121 303 4983

Email: [email protected]ov.uk

 CME Team (Normal office hours)

Telephone: 0121 303 4983.

Email: [email protected]

 School Admissions

Telephone: 0121 303 1888 for general enquiries

Email: www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions

 Education Legal Intervention Team (ELITs)

Telephone: 0121 464 8979.

Email: [email protected].

 CASS – Telephone: 0121 303 1888.

Email: [email protected]

 SENAR - Telephone: 0121 303 5489 or 303 4175

Email: [email protected] or mycareinbirmingham.org.uk

Child Missing or Attendance?

Is the child currently on roll at a school, dual registered or on roll at a PRU or

Special School ?

Yes

Make contact with the

School Admission’s

Team or SENAR

Is the child absent from

school without

explanation?

Yes

Are there safeguarding

concerns?

Have you called the

CME team for

background checks

Yes

Refer to CASS and send

copy of referral to CME

Team

Consult CME Team and

conduct home visit if required

Follow guidance issued by

CME Team & report outcome

of actions taken

If family

confirmed at

address then

this is an

attendance issue

– call ELITs

On 464 8979

If contact established at address

(adult identity & link to child

advised) record information &

inform CME Team

CME Team

will advise of

next steps

Is the child abroad or elsewhere in UK

& address known?

Yes

Complete CME referral form with

relevant details & send to

[email protected]csx.gov.uk

Are there safeguarding

concerns?

Record forwarding address

Name of educational setting

Google map address & complete Pupil

Movement Form

Send to admissions contact

Appendix A

Children most at risk of becoming CME

There are many circumstances where a child may become missing from education and the list

below presents some of the circumstances that may lead to children becoming CME (it is not

exhaustive):-

1. Pupils at risk of harm/neglect - Children may be missing from education because they are

suffering from abuse or neglect. Where this is suspected schools should follow local

safeguarding children procedures. Local authority officers responsible for CME should check

that a referral has been made and, if not, they should alert children’s social care. If there is

reason to suspect that a crime has been committed or the child’s safety is at risk, the police

should also be involved.

2. Children of Gypsy, Roma and Traveler (GRT) Families – Research has shown that many

children from these families can become disengaged from education, particularly during the

secondary school phase. It is therefore vital that schools inform the LA when a GRT pupil

leaves the school without identifying a new destination school, particularly in the transition from

primary to secondary so that they can attempt to facilitate continuity of the child’s education.

Although many are settled, some GRT families move regularly and their children can be at

increased risk of missing education. Local authority Traveler Education Support Services

(TESS), where these exist, or named CME officer within the LA, can advise schools on the best

strategies for ensuring the minimum disruption to GRT pupils’ education, for example dual

registration with other schools or the provision of electronic or distance learning packages

where these are available.

3. Families of Armed Forces - Families of members of the Armed Forces are likely to move

frequently – both in UK and overseas and often at short notice. Schools and local authorities

should contact the MOD Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS) on 01980 618244 for

advice on making arrangements to ensure continuity of education for those children when the

family moves.

4. Missing children/runaways - Children who go missing or run away from home or care may

be in serious danger and are vulnerable to crime, sexual exploitation or abduction as well as

missing education.

5. Children and young people supervised by the Youth Justice System - Children who

have offended or are at risk of doing so are also at risk of disengaging from education. Local

authority Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) are responsible for supervising those young people

(aged 8 to 18). YOTs should work with the local authority CME officer to ensure that children

are receiving, or return to, appropriate full-time education. Where a young person was

registered at a school prior to custody, the school may keep the place open for their return.

6. Children who cease to attend a school – there are many reasons why a child stops

attending a school. It could be because the parent chooses to home educate their child.

However, where the reason for a child who has stopped attending a school is not known, the

school must investigate the case and ensure the child is receiving suitable education. Once the

schools has undertaken reasonable enquiries and the pupils whereabouts are still unknown, the

school must refer the case to BCC’s CME officer and follow the referral procedures outlined in

this policy.

Directorate for People

Alternative Provision

Independent Education Service

PO Box 16524 Telephone: 0121 303 4983

Birmingham Facsimile: 0121 464 7216

W Midlands E-mail: cme@birmingham.gcsx.gov.uk

B2 2FP

Children Missing Education Referral Form

Complete and return this form by email with details of pupils who have unauthorised absence whose whereabouts cannot

be traced. Please do not use for matters of persistent absence. (See Guidance notes below)

Have you called the CME team for background checks prior to completing

this form?

CHILD DETAILS

SURNAME*

FIRST NAME*

GENDER*

DOB*

YEAR

GROUP

OUR REF:

UPN*:

CURRENT ADDRESS* (include post code)

PARENT’S NAME/PHONE NO*

CURRENT/PREVIOUS SCHOOL*

DATE LAST ATTENDED:

PUPIL STATUS*

(Please Tick/Delete as appropriate)

Formerly/Currently Known to Social Services

Looked After Child

Special Education Needs

Traveller

DATE

ADDRESS VISITED: (if

different from above)

WHO DID YOU SPEAK TO? (State relationship to

the pupil)

‘Aunt’, ‘Uncle’ or ‘Cousin’ is not acceptable

without forename and/or surname

DETAIL ACTIONS PRIOR TO REFERRAL:

REPORT OUTCOME OF HOME VISITS:

Does this child have a history of non-attendance?

Is this child subject to Private Fostering?

Is there a pattern of unauthorised term time leave?

Yes

Do you have any supporting documentation to

support relocation out of Birmingham – Please attach.

Yes

Directorate for People

Alternative Provision

Independent Education Service

PO Box 16524 Telephone: 0121 303 4983

Birmingham Facsimile: 0121 464 7216

W Midlands E-mail: cme@birmingham.gcsx.gov.uk

B2 2FP

OUTLINE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES

Please return completed form immediately to:

cme@birmingham.gcsx.gov.uk

DO NOT SEND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION TO ANY OTHER

ALTERNATIVE EMAIL ADDRESS.

SAFEGUARDING RISK APPRAISAL (TO BE COMPLETED BY DSL)

Risk Assessment* (are there any known concerns/safeguarding risks; is this child known to Children’s Social

Care/subject to a Child protection assessment/plan.

CMEbham330

Date any concerns referred to MASH:

Outcome of referral to MASH:

YOUR CONTACT DETAILS

NAME

JOB TITLE

TEAM NAME

TEL NO

DATE

PLEASE CONFER WITH THE CME TEAM TO OBTAIN DELETION

NOTICES

Directorate for People

Alternative Provision

Independent Education Service

PO Box 16524 Telephone: 0121 303 4983

Birmingham Facsimile: 0121 464 7216

W Midlands E-mail: cme@birmingham.gcsx.gov.uk

B2 2FP

GUIDANCE NOTES AND CHECKLIST

 This form should be used for reporting pupils of statutory school age who are absent from

school for 20 consecutive days without authorisation, whose whereabouts is unknown. See

sections 8F and 8h of The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006, as

amended 2013.

 This form should not be used for reporting pupils who are absent from school without

authorisation for 20 consecutive days who remain resident at their known address or have

moved to another known address.

 Pupils who leave school and transfer to another school, or who leave school to another district

and parents confirm their new address, should be reported to the School Admissions Service

via the ‘In-year notification of pupil movement form’

 Under The Education, Pupil Registration Regulations, schools and academies have a duty to

carry out ‘reasonable enquiries’ into the whereabouts of pupils who meet the criteria for referral

via this form. The enquiries schools and academies are expected to undertake are outlined in

the checklist with their outcomes recorded on this form:-

CHECKLIST

In most circumstances, the school’s enquiries will commence from the first day of unauthorised

absence. Have you:

 Called the CME team for background checks on the family e.g. sibling schools.

 As the DSL ensured that any safeguarding concerns have been promptly referred to the

Children’s Advisory Support Service (CASS). Tel: 0121 303 1888?

 Tasked appropriate staff to check with all members of staff who the pupil may have had

contact with?

 Checked with the pupil’s friends, siblings and known relatives at this school or other

schools?

 Tasked appropriate school staff to conduct telephone calls to ALL numbers held on the

pupil file?

 Tasked appropriate staff to conduct home visit(s) to the last known address of the pupil?

 If possible, enquired of neighbours as to the location of the family?

 Sent a letter to the last known address and record the outcome?

ALSO:

 If there is good reason to believe that a crime may have been committed? E.g. this

is a very sudden, unexpected situation and/or there are cultural reasons to

suspect that the pupil is at risk or there have been past suspicions concerning

the pupil and family which, together with the sudden disappearance, are

worrying? Have you made a prompt referral to the Police?

 If the pupil is subject to a Child Protection plan or investigation, has the Social

Worker has been informed of the pupil’s absence?

 Similarly as above if the pupil is ‘looked after’?

In the three instances above, CASS should be informed immediately