Addressing the Mental Health and Attendance Crisis in Schools: Challenges, Insights, and Solutions

Challenges, Insights, and What Schools Can Do Next

Across the UK, schools are facing a growing crisis: the intersection of student mental health and rising absenteeism. The challenge is no longer just academic ; it’s deeply human.

And it’s getting worse for those who already face the biggest hurdles.

The Mental Health Attendance Link Is Real

A recent DfE report (The Relationship Between Mental Ill Health and Absence in Students Aged 13 to 16) confirms what many school leaders already sense:

“Students struggling with anxiety or depression are far more likely to miss school and the longer they’re away, the harder it is to come back.”

Poor mental health causes absence. But absence also worsens mental health, creating a damaging cycle of disengagement, stress, and isolation.

Vulnerable Students Are Hit Hardest

Certain student groups face even steeper barriers:

Students with Special Educational Needs (SEN)

• Especially those with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) challenges

• Need structure, routines, and specialist support : all disrupted by absence

Students with Visual Impairments

• Often experience social isolation and dependence on others

• These invisible pressures contribute to anxiety and withdrawal

Neurodivergent Students (Autism, ADHD)

• Sensory overload, social fatigue, and rigid school structures lead to school avoidance

• Mental health concerns are often misunderstood or unrecognised

What Can Schools Do?

Here are practical strategies being used by inclusive schools across the UK:

• Early Identification & Intervention Train staff to spot early signs. Embed emotional check-ins. Don’t wait until absence becomes persistent.

• Tailored Support Plans Incorporate mental health into IEPs, behaviour plans, and daily routines.

• Flexible Timetables & Attendance Models Offer phased returns, quiet spaces, and part-time options ,especially for students managing anxiety.

• On-Site Mental Health Services From counsellors to therapy dogs, the best support is the support students don’t have to ask for.

• Peer Mentoring & Belonging Initiatives Connection is protective. For many students, their peers are their best buffer against mental health dips.

• Family Partnerships Absence isn’t just a school issue its a strong school-home communication is crucial for re-engagement.

How Sensei Helps Schools Take Action

Sensei’s tactile marker system offers a low-barrier, inclusive tool to support students with emotional and sensory needs , especially those who struggle with verbal expression or tech fatigue.

• Students use physical, colour-coded markers to communicate how they’re feeling : no speaking, no logging in.

• Teachers gain insight into emotional states before it becomes a behaviour or absence issue.

• It fosters early intervention, daily check-ins, and stronger student-staff trust.

For visually impaired, neurodivergent, and SEN students, it’s a silent but powerful signal of support one they can control.

Final Thought

We can’t tackle the attendance crisis without addressing mental health. And we can’t address mental health unless we’re willing to design for the students who need the most support.

If you’re a school leader, SENCO, or DSL looking for practical ways to re-engage vulnerable students we’d love to show you how other schools are using Sensei to help.

Let’s open the door to belonging one student at a time.