Unauthorised Absence Community Screening and Webinar

Unauthorised Absence is a 15-minute narrative short, born from lived experience and shaped by the testimonies of hundreds of families harmed by the very institutions intended to support them. It follows a single mother fighting to support her neurodivergent daughter through an unforgiving school system, where the child’s distress is repeatedly mistaken for defiance. The film brings attention to the human experiences behind headlines and statistics about attendance and education reform: a child’s sensory distress, a parent’s exhaustion, and the gradual erosion of a family under constant scrutiny. It aims to encourage empathy and understanding for the real families and stories behind the data, statistics and labels. The screening will be followed by a webinar. Content advice The film is rated 12A for distressing scenes, threat and self-harm. It may bring up strong feelings, particularly for people whose lives it reflects.