Every day last week, fewer than 1 per cent of Scottish pupils on average attended the hubs that remain open to care for the children of key workers and vulnerable pupils during the coronavirus pandemic.
Figures obtained by Tes Scotland from the Scottish government show that last week, the daily average attending council childcare hubs - which are usually schools - was 6,060 pupils.
Responding to the figures, children and young people’s commissioner Bruce Adamson - who has previously highlighted the low uptake of places for vulnerable children - said he was “concerned” they were so low.
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Some 17 per cent of the pupils attending - just over 1,000 young people on average per day - were classed as vulnerable pupils, a category that the Scottish government suggests might include children on the child protection register; children who are looked after, or on the edge of care; children who are eligible for free school meals, or who are affected by poverty and deprivation; or children who have complex additional support needs.
To put the figures in context, the latest official statistics show that on 31 July last year, there were 14,015 looked-after children in Scotland, of whom 5,924 were looked after at home by their parents. There were also 2,599 children on the child protection register.
The latest pupil census, published in December, showed that there were 6,823 pupils attending special schools.
Children’s organisations say they are worried that vulnerable children not being cared for in hubs could be at risk - the Scottish government has already said it expects to see “a rise in child-protection concerns” during the pandemic.
Schools were more than just places to learn and were “a safe space for children with chaotic home lives”, Mr Adamson said. He called for the Scottish government to keep looking for alternative ways to support these young people.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC) has said the poor attendance meant children - who could be living in families where there was domestic abuse or substance misuse - were “invisible at home and not in the place which is best at keeping them safe - school”.
“It is vital that action is quickly taken to assess the requirements of these vulnerable children and young people and adequate support is provided,” said a SCSC spokesperson. “In addition, those who would benefit from being at a childcare hub should be provided with this.
“We know that issues as they impact on young people, such as mental health problems, will and are escalating and we must do all that we can now or we risk a lost generation of vulnerable children and young people impacted by Covid-19.”
Mr Adamson said: “I’m concerned to see that attendance figures at hubs is so low, as this means that many children and families may not be being seen or supported by schools and other professionals.
“The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has warned of the grave physical, emotional and psychological effect of the Covid-19 pandemic and we must mitigate against the worst of it, particularly for those that are disproportionately affected, such as those children living in poverty.
“Schools have now been closed since March and the Scottish government must continue to adapt and look at other ways in which they can provide support and appropriate and accessible education to all children at this time.”
