Lunchtime Listening: Support for Schooling

We’re inviting mums, caregivers and guardians to Nottingham Women’s Centre for a chat over some lunch. We’d like to hear about your experiences of managing your children’s attendance at school. What helps you to balance their education and well-being needs? What challenges have you faced? Do you feel that there are areas where you could use more support and understanding? Would you like to share your experiences with us and other women, so we can all ask those in charge to do better?

This event is a listening session for all women who are parents, caregivers and guardians. If your children are 5 – 16 years of age and attend school in Nottinghamshire, we’d like to hear from you. It’s an opportunity to get your voice heard and share your experiences in a safe space.

Book via Eventbrite or contact NWC Reception. If you would like to attend and have any accessibility or childcare requirements, please get in touch with us by the 8th November to let us know.

If you are unable to attend, but would still like to share your experiences, please contact us so we can arrange to hear your story too.

To find out more, or tell us about your experiences, please contact NWC Reception via email on or phone 0115 941 1475.

Why do we want to know about this, and what will we do next?

This is one of Nottingham Women’s Centre’s current campaign issues. Women are being disproportionately punished and penalised for their children missing school. Reasons for school absences are often beyond the control of parents/mothers. These reasons include bullying, and a lack of support for children’s mental health. Research shows that a holistic and supportive approach works better that the current punitive stance.

We need to hear from you about your experiences. We want to know more about what schools and other services can do to support you and your children. We also want to know what they currently do well that you would like to see more of. We’ll share what we find out with schools, councils, MPs and other decision makers. Then we’ll ask those in charge to do better.

If you would like to be part of the campaign, please get in touch with us. Email on or phone 0115 941 1475. Find out more about our campaigns at nwcentre.com/PolicyUpdates.

References & more info

www.advancecharity.org.uk/advance-launches-notgoingbacktoschool-campaign

educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/08/19/fines-for-parents-for-taking-children-out-of-school-what-you-need-to-know

committees.parliament.uk/work/7179/persistent-absence-and-support-for-disadvantaged-pupils/publications

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