TENS of thousands of Neets are missing from official statistics due to a “blind spot” over college students not attending their classes, the children’s commissioner has warned.

Dame Rachel de Souza estimated some 42,000 16 and 17-year-olds are enrolled in colleges but attending less than half the time, meaning they are effectively disengaged from education but remain outside official figures.

The number of young people aged 16-24 not in education, employment or training (Neets) topped a million earlier this year for the first time in more than a decade.

Dame Rachel’s office has now obtained figures from further education settings, which she said are not required to report to the Department for Education on attendance in the same way as schools.

University and College Union general secretary Jo Grady said: “These figures show how badly some young people are being failed by the consequences of years of underinvestment in further education.  

“Young people are disengaging from education due to financial hardship, mental health problems, caring responsibilities, transport costs and a lack of secure support.”

National Education Union general secretary Daniel Kebede said: “It is a concern that so many young people in further education are slipping through the net and missing significant time out of education.

“To address some of the barriers, we need to see improvements in the transition from CAMHS to adult mental health (AMH) services. Pushing to reduce travel costs through free bus travel is a really good idea because cost of living is a factor here.

“By aged 16, many young people feel that education isn’t for them because of an over-reliance on exam performance in our system. It’s encouraging that the new secretary of state is focused on whether young people have a sense of belonging and on creating youth opportunities.”

Association of Colleges director of education policy Cath Sezen warned a “growing strain on the FE system, as well as funding pressures” are both “limiting colleges’ ability to provide tailored support, particularly for those who need it most.”

She added: “We have called time and time again for increased investment, better integration of support services and a stronger national strategy for employer engagement.

“We are keen to engage with the debate and we agree with many of the recommendations.”

The Department for Education welcomed the “important report that highlights just how badly students in further education need to be prioritised in future reforms.”