9 September 2022
Your questions
- How many parents removed their child from school in your LA to become EHE (Electively Home Educated) as a reason of 'mental health' between 01.09.2021-22.07.2022?
- In recent years has your LA seen an increase or decrease in the number of parents removing their child to become EHE with a reason of 'mental health'
- What support does the LA provide to children who are struggling with their mental health? Please send any relevant information/policies/documents in relation to support for children struggling with their mental health.
Our response
- None, although parents do not have to specifically state their reason for withdrawing from mainstream education.
- Not applicable per the response above.
- The LA has processes in place to support those evidenced as Too Ill to attend school in which case they are assessed to provide tuition support while they reintegrate back to their school.
The LA pays for educational placements when pupils are detained under the Mental Health Act.
The Local Authority provides support for children struggling with their mental health, through the following pathways:
The LA offers an educational psychology service for schools to purchase centrally. Through the service level agreement, schools can use the support of their school Educational Psychologist to support children and young people who are struggling with their mental health, either through individual referrals and consultations with the child and young person, parent consultations or teacher consultations and whole school training.
- For schools that do not buy in Lambeth Educational Psychology Service, they can use their own commissioned services and reference should be made to the individual school or Multi-Academy Trust
- The LA also offer support to schools through upskilling staff in these areas through the Mental Health Support Teams and other initiatives
- For children with additional/special educational needs and disabilities, including Autism Spectrum Disorder who are struggling with their mental health needs, support is identified through the home-school partnership and multiagency working, using the graduated approach and delivered through SEND provision mapping by schools, and EHCPs where appropriate
The Local Authority works very closely with South East London ICS via it's children's integrated commissioning team to commission a myriad of services to support children and young people's emotional health and wellbeing. A good number of these are listed in this booklet: