Attendance Monitoring, Recording and Review Procedures

Purpose

Marcia Care and Education recognises that attendance is often directly linked to a young person’s anxiety levels, emotional regulation, health needs, neurodevelopmental profile, and readiness to engage. Our approach balances flexibility and individualisation with clear monitoring, recording and accountability processes.

Attendance Monitoring

Attendance is monitored for every planned session delivered by Marcia Care and Education staff.

For each scheduled session, staff will record:

• Date and time of session.
• Planned duration.
• Actual duration attended.
• Location of support.
• Young person’s engagement level.
• Reason for any non-attendance, partial attendance or early termination.
• Any safeguarding, wellbeing or risk concerns identified.

Attendance records are completed on the day of delivery and stored securely in the young person’s case file.

Attendance Categories

Attendance will be recorded as:

• Present – Full Session.
• Present – Partial Session.
• Therapeutic Engagement Alternative (where agreed activities differ from the planned session but remain outcome-focused).
• Authorised Absence.
• Unauthorised Absence.
• Session Cancelled by Provider.
• Session Cancelled by Parent/Carer.
• Session Cancelled by Local Authority or Other Professional.

Where attendance is affected by anxiety, dysregulation, illness, sensory overload, trauma-related presentation, or other SEND-related barriers, this will be recorded alongside the attendance outcome.

Roles and Responsibilities

Learning Support Mentor / Practitioner

The assigned practitioner is responsible for:

• Recording attendance following every session.
• Documenting reasons for non-attendance or reduced engagement.
• Reporting concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) where appropriate.
• Identifying patterns or changes in engagement.

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

The DSL is responsible for:

• Reviewing attendance concerns where safeguarding, welfare or risk factors are present.
• Ensuring appropriate actions are taken where persistent absence may indicate unmet need or increased vulnerability.
• Liaising with parents/carers, professionals and the Local Authority where necessary.

Managing Director / Service Lead

The Managing Director is responsible for:

• Oversight of attendance monitoring systems.
• Reviewing attendance data and trends.
• Ensuring attendance records are maintained appropriately.
• Reporting attendance information to commissioning Local Authorities where required.
• Reviewing the effectiveness of attendance support strategies.

Review Process

Attendance data is reviewed:

• Weekly by the allocated practitioner.
• Monthly by the Managing Director or Service Lead.
• As part of termly reviews and multi-agency meetings where applicable.

Reviews consider:

• Percentage attendance.
• Engagement levels.
• Barriers to participation.
• Progress towards agreed outcomes.
• Required adjustments to support arrangements.

Where attendance falls below expected levels, the review will focus on identifying and reducing barriers rather than applying punitive measures.

Information Sharing

Attendance information may be shared with:

• Parents and carers.
• Commissioning Local Authorities.
• Social workers.
• Case managers.
• Educational providers.
• Other relevant professionals involved in the young person’s support.

Information sharing will comply with GDPR, safeguarding requirements and information-sharing agreements.

Attendance summaries may be included within:

• Weekly updates.
• Progress reports.
• Review meetings.
• Annual reviews.
• EHCP review documentation.

Escalation Process

Where there are concerns regarding persistent non-engagement, Marcia Care and Education will:

1. Review barriers with the young person and family.
2. Adapt delivery methods where appropriate.
3. Consult relevant professionals.
4. Consider additional support strategies.
5. Escalate safeguarding concerns through the DSL where risk is identified.

Any decisions, rationale, actions and outcomes will be documented within the young person’s records.

Quality Assurance

Attendance records form part of Marcia Care and Education’s quality assurance process.

The Managing Director will undertake periodic audits of attendance records to ensure:

• Accurate recording.
• Consistent practice.
• Appropriate follow-up actions.
• Evidence of impact and outcomes.

Findings may be used to inform service development, staff supervision and reporting to commissioning bodies.