CEN provides advice,support and representation for parents whose children are experiencing issues at school particularly around school exclusion. We provide advocates who represent parents and their child at Governor Disciplinary Committee meetings and Independent Review Panels as well as at reintegration meetings and any other informal meetings where a parent feels that support would be valuable.

Our clients are mainly African Caribbean as well as parents of children with special education needs (two groups that experience disproportionate exclusion from school).

Some schools are quick to permanently exclude pupils they deem difficult or challenging. Some aren't. A significant number of exclusions are unlawful as outlined in the Children's Commissioner's School Exclusions report(They Never Give Up On You) in 2012 and the Centre for Social Justice report 'No Excuses' 2011. The consequences of exclusion are well documented - entry into the criminal justice system, unemployment, mental health issues, unemployment and poor health and housing, all heaping considerable costs to families, communities and ultimately to our larger society.

Ultimately a significant number of pupils are consigned to the margins of society at a critical and delicate age - the average age for school exclusion is 12/13/14. And if you are black, males, on free school meals with SEN you are 168 times more likely to be permanently excluded than if you are not any of those characteristics. While there are clear alternatives to exclusion and strategies for working with vulnerable groups and pupils we stand opposed to the use of school exclusion as a behavioural management tool.