Square Peg is working hard to represent all parent carer voices and grassroots parent carer stakeholder organisations in any discussions around persistent absence and barriers to non attendance.
It is vital any changes to policy and practice improve outcomes for our children and families who are too often dismissed and denied support, particularly for social, emotional or mental health reasons and hidden disabilities such as chronic illness, Neurodevelopmental conditions or clinical anxiety.
Children who are young carers, BAME, live in poverty or insecure housing, are on free school meals, who are Looked After, suffered bereavement, are displaced families or refugees, English is 2nd language or face challenges at home such as job insecurity, family breakdown or domestic violence, all experience barriers to attendance with many developing high mental health needs and / or unrecognised or unsupported SEND.
Our voices and lived experience must be at the heart of any systemic and institutional changes which must focus on support rather than threats, fines, prosecutions, child protection scrutiny or disabling accusations of Fabricated Induced Illness (an extremely rare and contentious label).
Irrespective of diagnosis, assessments or graduated responses, our children and their families deserve and are entitled to better. When professionals and systems respond to families with derision or a core belief these families and children are manufacturing needs and requiring support as attention-seekers or because they are lazy or disengaged trouble makers, the system is at risk of breaching every human, child, family and equality law there is.
The primary loser is of course, the child, whose development, well-being, attainment and future life outcomes are dramatically and irrevocably reduced.
We can do better. We know better. Together, we can. Nothing about us, without us. Our voices matter, our voices are the answer.
Everything listed in this petition is everything the Department of Education are trying to consult on and gather evidence for via parents, carers, professionals.
Our ask is that as many of you as possible please submit your views individually via the DfE consultation form as this will help inform policy changes. The link is attached to this update.
We can do better. We know better. Together, we can. Nothing about us, without us. Our voices matter, our voices are the answer.
THANK YOU
Ellie Costello
Square Peg