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Education is one of the most powerful influences on a child’s current and future well-being. If a child’s experience of education is negative then this can have an adverse affect on them personally, socially and economically.

Statistics on educational disadvantage

• 1 in 3 children in disadvantaged areas have severe difficulties with basic reading and writing
• 1 in 5 children across the country leave secondary school without completing the Leaving Certificate
• Each year over 84,000 children under the age of 16 miss more than 20 days of school.

Here are some of the key objectives that Barnardos is looking at when combatting educational disadvantage:

• Extension of the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance to all recipients of Family Income Supplement.
• Roll out of a national school book rental scheme.
• Further resource the National Education Welfare Board and National Educational Psychological Service.
• Roll out of free, universal early childhood education and care places to all children for one year prior to joining primary school.

Useful documents

Written Out Written Off (2009)
Make The Grade Report (2006)

Our campaign on educations disadvantage

Click here to find out more about our 2006 campaign on educational disadvantage.

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