Daisy Christodoulou suggests that teachers identifying children at risk of ending up not in education, employment or training (Neets) is like dentists helping children to learn to read (Could you predict which children will be Neets? No – and it’s unfair to ask that of teachers, 11 August). But dentists often help children learn to read by stopping the toothache that can derail education. Alan Milburn is not asking teachers to fix teeth. He wants the whole system to act when teachers identify barriers to learning.
We conducted the research at the centre of this debate. Our study showed that children identified with developmental difficulties through the statutory early years foundation stage profile (EYFSP) school assessment are much more likely to become Neets in late adolescence. The EYFSP reveals the holistic educational needs of children – but teachers cannot diagnose autism, treat anxiety or fix housing. Milburn is not making teachers responsible for everything.
