What families have told us
- Children and young people are unable to go to school for a range of reasons, this may be due to anxiety.
- More children and young people are being given part time timetables.
- There is increased reports and concerns in relation to ESNA.
- Parents and carers report having to give up work to support their child at home.
- Not all children and young people have EHCP’s.
- Parents and carers have fedback a lack of understanding and/or support from school.
- Families do not feel they are receiving support around exclusions.
- There has been a rise in families of children and young people who attend mainstream schools contacting the SILC Cluster.
- Welfare checks undertaken by schools vary from school to school.
Who the issues were raised by
- Leeds Parent Carer Forum (2022)
- Parent Carer Support Group Network (2021)
- SEND Event for parents and carers (09.07.24)
What we have done
Updated January 2026
Support for professionals
We continue to have resources available on Leeds for Learning and with the launch of Inclusive Mainstream Practice (IMP) we will be refreshing the resources available. The updates will also be informed by the pilot of the parent support offer to ensure consistency of approach.
Training offer for professionals
We continue to have a training offer on LfL which is tailored to schools but open to all professionals and we have/will deliver it directly to teams on request.
This is updated and refreshed on an ongoing basis in accordance with developments in research and evidence-based practice.
This has been updated to align with the development of the parent support offer. This is to support consistency of approach and to ensure shared perspectives and understanding.
Support offer for parents
We have developed and piloted a parent support offer - this takes a workshop approach.
This aligns with the professional offer to ensure consistency of approach and to ensure shared perspectives and understanding.
This is currently being evaluated to inform next steps. The intended outcome is to develop an offer which can be rolled out city wide.
If a parent or carer comes across difficulties talking to a school about ESNA or any issue regarding attendance then the School Attendance team can be contacted for information, advice and support ( schoolattendanceservice@leeds.co.uk).
In general
The team are actively involved in CPD relevant to this area of need.
We have representation in regional and national groups to contribute to and remain up to date with research and evidence based practice.
We have continued to liaise with the Leeds Parent Carer Forum around the offer and to seek their input and perspectives.
The Educational Psychology Team represent within strategic groups and developments relating to attendance to offer a SEND lens and specifically consider practice related to ESNA. This includes contribution to the review of the updated guidance document for reduced timetables, representation at the Attendance Steering Group and the internal Extended Absence Panel.
Future plans
Whilst our Area Inclusion Partnership (AIP) and Alternative Provision (AP) model is a strength within Leeds there are plans to review our approach to devolving funds to partnerships of school leaders in AIPs, responding to the national focus on the use of AP and enabling them to co-design an offer of inclusion support and alternative provision that reflects their local area’s context and needs. We are aware there are too many children within AIP settings that require more long-term support and AIP provision is not always been seen and used as an intervention. In addition, we have plans to develop a guidance document for schools and commissioners outlining the LAs guiding principles for alternative provision and emphasising the school responsibilities in relation to alternative provision. E.g., exit planning; expectations on use of provision maps, integration with Fair Access Panel; how to record in their school registers to improve data available in School Census and implications for CYP with EHC Plans.
Continued identification of where new specialist provisions can be established in within existing settings and continued expansions where able with our established SILC provisions.
- A focus on attendance from our SEND teams when supporting schools and settings with individual case work.
- Continued support from attendance team to improve attendance in schools and settings.
- Review our approach to develop devolving funds to partnership of school leaders in AIP‘s enabling them to design an offer of inclusion support and alternative provision that reflects their local areas context and needs.
- Guidance document for all schools/commissioners outlining the LA guiding principles for arranging AP and setting out schools responsibilities in relation to AP.
- Health to be involved in the planning and development of Specialist places.
- The council will be investing in special and resource provision within mainstream settings.
- Leeds City Council are developing an alternative provision strategy which will be co-produced with partners.