New measures aim to tackle ‘hugely alarming’ school absenteeism rates

Measures are being introduced to tackle “hugely alarming” rates of school absenteeism, with data showing thousands of children have been missing 20 or more days per year.

More than 110,000 primary and 65,000 post-primary students missed 20 or more days of school in the 2022/2023 academic year, official figures show.

Deis schools and special education settings recorded particularly high rates of absenteeism, according to the Department of Education.

Minister for Education Helen McEntee said the figures are “hugely alarming” and mark a decline in regular attendance over recent years.

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Among the measures announced is an evidence-based framework to help schools analyse and respond to attendance data. This will be rolled out to 60 schools.

There will also be continued investment in the Educational Welfare Service, which works with children, young people and their families who are experiencing difficulty with school attendance, as well as the expansion of the educational welfare officer capacity.

A national multimedia campaign will be run from September, promoting the importance of regular school attendance to students, parents and guardians and there will be a national attendance conference early next year to share best practices and promote whole-system engagement.

A scoping project to deliver real-time attendance data for better decision-making and intervention is also being planned.

Ms McEntee said she plans to revise the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, to strengthen statutory supports for young children, including bringing those aged under six attending primary school within its scope to ensure earlier intervention.

A national plan on educational disadvantage aligned with these measures will also be published shortly, she said.

“Tackling school absences will be a key part of my plan to ensure that every child can achieve their full potential,” Ms McEntee said.

“Unfortunately, the stark reality is that in recent years we have seen a decline in regular attendance, and a rise in the number of children and young people missing a very concerning number of school days ... I am determined to tackle this issue.”

The Fine Gael deputy leader also pointed out that attendance is linked with attainment and completing school.

“While there is excellent practice in schools to support children and young people to attend, we must listen to the data from Tusla and redouble our efforts,” she said.