BACKGROUND

Thousands of children are currently unable to attend school and/or are not in receipt of a suitable education. Children who struggle to attend school are either being forced into environments that are not meeting their needs (under the threat to prosecute their parents), or they're not being educated at all.

We need to make our children visible. We need to ensure their voices are being heard. We need to bring about change.

MISSION

We are calling on the government to:

1. Improve funding for special educational needs and disabilities; this includes improving professional education on school avoidance and how to support children who struggle to attend school.
2. Abolish punitive fines and punishments for non-attendance; after all it's not that our children don't want to attend, THEY CANNOT ATTEND.

We aim to bring awareness to the underfunded education system for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and to abolish the archaic punitive punishments of fines and prosecutions for school attendance that drops below 95%.

When education is accessible, inclusive and suitable children will learn. The focus needs to shift to ACCESSIBLE education and move away from the aim of '100% attendance' at a 'one size fits all' education provision that is often alluded to by government officials. More specialist provision is needed that is fit for purpose.

THE STRIKES AND PROTESTS

We propose all children in support of making this change go on 'strike' from their educational provisions (if any) on 29th September 2023 (during School Avoidance Awareness week) and join us in a peaceful protest outside local authorities all over England and Wales, and parliament.

Whilst children and young people are absolutely welcome in person, we appreciate not all can attend the protests. So we are making this as accessible as possible. We propose a few options:

1. In person attendance OR
2. Online attendance (submit your photo or an illustrated picture which will be used online to represent your child's participation in the event) OR
3. A personalised cardboard cutout of each child can be used by their parent/adult in person

More information on this strikes and protests will be available in due course.

PRESS AND MEDIA

Please contact Kerry Ganly at kerry@penguinpr.co.uk

Please contact Kerry only for media/press and interview requests. Any other queries must come through the contact form below.

COLLABORATION

We need you and your community to join us to make an impact.

Can you organise your local protest? Can you help coordinate the national campaign?

Do you have a community or organisation who would love to be involved?

We want to hear from you! Sign up below.