Attendance and safeguarding
Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE, KCSIE, 2025) identifies persistent or prolonged absence - including missing parts of the school day -as a potential indicator of safeguarding risk. This can include neglect, child sexual or criminal exploitation, and risks linked to county lines. Children with low or irregular attendance may require early help and targeted intervention.
Attendance should therefore be viewed as part of a wider safeguarding framework, requiring:
- early identification of concerns
- information sharing between professionals
- coordinated, multi-agency responses
Local evidence, including Lincolnshire’s Best Start in Life Strategy and Local Plan 2026–2031, highlights how absence can compound disadvantage from an early age by limiting access to education and key protective factors such as safe environments, trusted adults and consistent support.
Children involved in offending or at risk of becoming NEET should also be viewed through a safeguarding lens, as non-attendance is often linked to underlying trauma, unmet need or exploitation. Early identification and intervention are essential to reduce long-term harm.