​​Education welfare services provide valuable support, but greater consistency is needed to tackle persistent absence ​ 

A new Estyn report published today finds that Education Welfare Services provide valuable support to schools, but differences in practice, pressures on staffing and short-term funding mean their impact on persistent absence remains too variable.

The new report, Education Welfare Services: The effectiveness of the support provided to schools and parents and carers to tackle persistent absenteeism, examines how effectively Education Welfare Services (EWSs) support schools, PRUs, and parents and carers to address persistent absenteeism. The report draws on discussions with education welfare services in nine local authorities, as well as 45 primary, secondary and all-age schools.

Regular school attendance supports pupils’ learning, well-being and future opportunities. However, persistent absence continues to be a significant national concern. In 2024–2025, 27.0% of pupils missed 10% or more of school sessions. Rates were particularly high among pupils eligible for free school meals and those with special educational needs or additional learning needs.

The report found that most Education Welfare Services provide valued support and contribute positively to addressing the barriers that prevent pupils from attending school regularly. Their work is particularly effective when education welfare officers have a regular presence in schools and develop strong professional relationships with pupils, families, school staff and other services.

In the strongest examples, officers identify concerns early, visit families at home and work with pastoral, health, social care and youth services to address underlying difficulties. These may include anxiety, trauma, financial hardship, transport problems or other complex family circumstances.

However, nearly all the local authorities involved in the review reported significant capacity pressures. High caseloads and the growing complexity of families’ needs often meant that officers had to concentrate on the most serious cases, reducing their ability to intervene early and prevent attendance problems from becoming established.

Owen Evans, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, said:

“Education welfare officers play a valuable role in helping pupils and families overcome the barriers that prevent regular attendance. When delivered effectively, these services build trust, identify concerns early and bring schools and other agencies together around the needs of the child.

“However, pupils and families do not yet benefit from consistently effective support across Wales. High caseloads, staffing instability and reliance on short-term funding restrict preventative work and make long-term planning difficult. Improving attendance is a shared responsibility, and schools cannot address the complex causes of persistent absence alone.

“A more sustainable and joined-up approach is needed so that services can intervene earlier and all pupils receive the support they need to engage with their education.”

The report recommends that the Welsh Government consolidates national attendance guidance, establish sustainable multi-year funding and strengthen national attendance data systems. It also calls for local authorities to improve the consistency and monitoring of Education Welfare Services, strengthen preventative support and family engagement, make better strategic use of attendance data, and apply statutory processes more consistently.