As reported by BBC News, robots equipped with microphones and emojis are supporting Wirral students facing emotional barriers, boosting attendance by 21%
Robots are being used to give emotional support to children who struggle to go to school. The machines, being offered to pupils in Wirral, help pupils share their feelings using a microphone, emoji expressions and lights. The robots have already been used in a local pilot and have helped improve attendance rates by 21%, the council said.
Councillor Stephen Bennett said it might “sound far-fetched or futuristic” but the robots had “already had a significant real-life impact”. Twelve AV1 robots are available to help children who experience emotionally based school avoidance (ESBA) in the Wirral Borough.
“This work has been overseen by the Local Area SEND Partnership Board and is a key project to help children with additional needs, attend school and succeed in their learning,” Mr Bennett said.
ESBA is a term used to describe children who have severe difficulty in attending school as a result of emotional factors. The device, which is brought to school with the young person, allows them to access a one-way live stream and communicate via a microphone. The pilot, which took place from April to July, involved seven Wirral schools where official attendance scores of the pupils who used the AV1 improved on average by 21%. The number of hours that pupils engaged with lessons improved by 42%. A representative of a Wirral specialist secondary school involved in the pilot said: “When fully connecting, the student has enjoyed the experience. “There is clearly lots of potential for building relationships and confidence in learning.”
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