Question reference: S5W-34510
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Date lodged: 12 January 2021
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Current status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 January 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to ensure national consistency regarding how vulnerable children that are not presenting at school are contacted and reached out to.
Answer
The national guidance on Coronavirus (COVID-19): school re-opening arrangements for January 2021 recognises the wide range of circumstances which may lead to a child or young person being considered to be vulnerable at this time. The guidance also makes clear that many of those children and young people will be known to schools and children's services and that children's services are best placed to identify and make appropriate arrangements for the provision of support.
This, in conjunction with education authorities’ ongoing responsibilities to follow up absence from school outlined in national guidance , ensure that the support required for all children and young people is in place. The Scottish Government in partnership with local government have revised the system for the monitoring of attendance and absence of pupils at this time, to take account of these particular circumstances. Information on attendance and absence of pupils is published as part of information within Coronavirus (COVID-19): daily data for Scotland.