About the Service
KPAS sits within the Education & SEND division of Kent County Council’s Children, Young People and Education (CYPE) directorate. KPAS works with a wide range of schools and practitioners within and external to KCC with the core aim of reducing levels of persistent and severe absence, suspension and permanent exclusion experienced by pupils across the county.
KPAS key areas of specialism include:
- Providing impartial advice, guidance, and training for schools through designated link officers in the service
- Providing impartial advice, guidance, and training for multi-agency partners internal and external to KCC
- Investigating individual cases of pupil absence in line with the Working together to improve school attendance statutory guidance published by the Department for Education in August 2024
- Investigating cases of Children Missing Education (CME) in line with statutory guidance published by the Department for Education to ensure children and young people have a registered school place
- Representing the Local Authority with a range of enforcement activities including Education Supervision Orders, Penalty Notices, School Attendance Orders and statutory attendance intervention referrals in accordance with the Education Act 1996
- Representing the Local Authority in meetings related to the suspension or permanent exclusion of pupils, such as governor panels and independent review panels in line with Department for Education statutory guidance on suspensions and permanent exclusions, as well as training for school leadership teams and governing boards on duties related to exclusion
- Working to ensure children in entertainment and employment are safeguarded.