There is a number that should stop you in your tracks: 12,402. That is how many children in Scotland were so severely absent that they missed at least half of the school year.

It isn’t simply a handful of difficult or disruptive children. It’s enough to fill 400 classrooms and thousands of lessons.

Imagine that 12,000 hospital patients were missing half of their NHS treatment. That would be a national scandal. Ministers would immediately be forced to address it.

 But in our schools, it is already a reality. Children have told us the system is not working for them, but where is the urgency? Why haven’t we listened?

When a child stops attending school, we ask what is wrong with them. We ask whether they lack motivation, talent or discipline.

And when that explanation doesn’t satisfy us, we turn to the parents. We question their commitment, their choices and ability to cope.

Even when all of that fails, rarely do we look at why the system isn’t working for our children.

When I reported that figure last week, politicians promised action. The Scottish Government claimed they were committed to targeted interventions. Political opponents demanded the introduction of a national attendance register.

Families, though, told us that in practice those promises were failing them. Meetings were held, but the help the child needed never quite arrived, because the barriers they face are bigger than school attendance.

If you ask the children themselves why they are missing school, the answers come back quickly. No money for the bus, no clean uniform, no food, nowhere quiet to sleep, anxiety that makes the classroom feel unbearable. Others talk about relentless bullying, untreated mental health or additional support needs that have never been met.

As resources........

© Herald Scotland