We heard that support offered by local authorities can vary significantly. For example, since the funding for Education Welfare Officers has been devolved to schools, it has become a “traded good” for most schools, and a postcode lottery for pupils. We understand the Department has recently conducted a new burdens assessment to improve the consistency of support offered by local authorities, but not all local authorities have the resource to effectively provide the required level of support. ...

We heard that support offered by local authorities can vary significantly. For example, since the funding for Education Welfare Officers has been devolved to schools, it has become a “traded good” for most schools, and a postcode lottery for pupils. We understand the Department has recently conducted a new burdens assessment to improve the consistency of support offered by local authorities, but not all local authorities have the resource to effectively provide the required level of support. Ultimately, the Department must ensure that all schools across the country can access good support in tackling persistent absence. Type: conclusion | Number: 7 | Paragraph: 46 | Response status: accepted Government response: The Department is already closely monitoring support provided by local authorities. The role of the local authority in attendance has changed significantly from that of the pre-2014 Education Welfare Service. While core functions have been retained, the ‘Working together’ gui