CHILDREN in Northumberland are missing days at school as the cost of living means parents are struggling to pay for basic essentials and energy bills.

Some families struggle with energy costs needed to dry clothes while others are unable to pay for school lunches.

That was the message from council officers at Thursday’s meeting of Northumberland County Council’s family and children’s services overview and scrutiny committee.

Members were told that school attendance in Northumberland was improving, but was yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. Economic deprivation was said to be “one of the main barriers” to education in the county.

Speaking at the meeting, senior manager in the children’s services department Jane Walker said: “Cost of living is affecting families who didn’t struggle to afford getting their children to school, but now are for the first time.

“Attendance raises concerns about safeguarding – we have to ask if they’re not in school, where are they?”

Education welfare officer Sarah Wintringham added: “Parents can’t afford to put the heating on to dry uniforms, they can’t afford lunches if they don’t get free school meals. It’s cheaper to have them at home.

“We don’t know what we don’t know – sometimes families find it really difficult to share that information. There’s a range of issues as to why families are struggling."

Cllr Anne Dale, who represents the Stocksfield ward, said: “One of the key issues is economic deprivation. That’s something that should go to the inequalities working group, it’s part of inequality.

“How do we manage that? The cost of living crisis is making it difficult for parents to send children to school, there are children being sat at home because they can’t afford the school blazer.

“There’s surely a way we can manage that as a county council and understand more. They’re children, we want them to have outstanding education and good career opportunities.

“It’s so important we understand it’s not their fault – it’s the environment they’re in sometimes. I don’t have a deprived area, but in the deprived areas it’s very difficult.

“We need to ensure these children get through the education system and get all the opportunities available to them.”