...lots of young people with SEND and without diagnosis and the understanding of WHY they may be struggling.They can't begin to understand who they are. They are feeling broken. They can't begin to ask for the help that would make all the difference...

The problem is that the rates of probable mental difficulty in the current population is incredibly high (1 in 5 children aged 8 to 25 according to NHS England). This is not a cold. This is not a sniffle...

For some young people, even if they are having difficulties with their mental health, being in school can be a welcome distraction and a chance to be with their friends. This is clearly not the case for everyone...

In the 17-25yr aged cohorts, twice as many young women as men were struggling with their mental health. Given how many girls and women are missed, misdiagnosed and misunderstood, that cannot be a surprise...

Poverty bites.

More than 1 in 4 children between 7 and 16 with a probable mental heath disorder had parents who couldn't afford for them to take part in any activities outside school....

Older teens and adults aged 17-25 were 3 times more likely to be unable to take part in activities such as sports, days out or socialising with friends....

Existential threat.

Over half of 17-25 yr olds reported being worried about climate change...

This group of young people are really struggling at school. They were less likely to:

- Have a friend at school

- Feel safe at school

- Be themselves at school

- Enjoy learning at school...

We are older, we should be wiser.

Isn't it time we looked beyond the person who is struggling and towards the environment they are in?

Isn't it time we ditched the blame heaped on young people, parents, teachers and schools...?

Isn't it time we looked for a solutions focused approach together to providing an education for human beings in the 21st Century?

Data from ...
digital.nhs.uk/data-and-infor…

So what can we do about it? I have rounded up some of the best thinking so far in the area and am adding some of my own experience to the mix.

Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA)/ Barriers to School Attendance differentjoy.com/EBSNA