Episodes, Josh Pelled
Supporting Young People with Long-Term Illness in Education with Josh Pelled
Bright Futures’ research estimates that around 270,000 young people (age 5–24) miss 20% or more of their education each year due to long-term illness. The consequences for qualifications, employment and wellbeing are severe – for example, 79% of 18-24 year‑olds who are out of work due to ill health only have qualifications at GCSEs or below, compared with 34% of their peers.
These young people don’t just lose learning: prolonged absence damages social connections, confidence and everyday school experiences. “Returning to normal” needs careful planning, not a simple reinstatement of lessons.
Josh Pelled, CEO of Bright Futures UK and a two-time cancer survivor, founded the charity based on his lived experience of missing significant portions of his education. Josh joins Dale to discuss ‘supporting young people with long-term illness in education’, covering the academic, social, and mental-health impacts of prolonged absence, the difficulty of reintegration, and how technology can help maintain learning and connection but cannot replace full inclusion.
“We can try to do things to bridge the gap between illness and education and make sure that a young person feels as supported as possible.”
Josh Pelled
Listen to Josh delve into the practical, emotional, and systemic challenges faced by ill students and explore how educators, SENCos, and pastoral teams can be more proactive in helping these students stay connected to learning and community life.
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About Josh Pelled
Joshua Pelled is the Founder and CEO of Bright Futures UK, a pioneering charity dedicated to reintegrating young people into education after serious long-term illness. His journey is deeply personal, having survived cancer twice— first at the age of five and again at sixteen. These experiences revealed the profound educational and social challenges that come with prolonged medical absences, inspiring him to create a support system he wished he had.
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