Barnardos responds to ESRI School Absenteeism Report in February

26th February: The concerning findings published today by the ESRI show the considerable impact school absenteeism and reduced school attendance can have on academic attainment, future stress and life satisfaction levels among other outcomes.

The results show that the impact is evident across all social groups and there is no evidence more advantaged families can successfully counter the negative effects of absenteeism for their children. However, our concern is that certain groups of children, experiencing various vulnerabilities, are at much greater risk of school absenteeism, due to adversities within the home, practical difficulties or health issues.

For example our own research last year showed nearly twice as many primary school students in DEIS schools frequently (once a week or more) or always refused to go to school (10%) compared to students in non DEIS schools (5%). Nearly one quarter of parents of children in DEIS secondary schools said their children refused frequently or all the time (24%) compared to just 13% of parents with children in non-DEIS secondary schools.

Indeed, ESRI research from earlier this year shows that significantly more children in disadvantaged areas are missing more school than their non DEIS peers, placing them at a further disadvantage both in the immediate and longer term.

All children should have equal opportunity to engage in school and enjoy the benefits it brings in terms of academic and social development, and the wide ranging opportunities it provides them in the immediate term and future. Parents have a considerable and primary role to play in this, but so too does the government.

Increased absenteeism presents immediate risks as well as reducing future opportunities, and will only lead to further disadvantage and inequality. The Government to further support schools, families and communities to improve school attendance.

Barnardos Director of Innovation & Development Monica Hynds said: “In our experience school is a very positive and often protective factor for the thousands of children we support across the country. However, we know first-hand that children in more economically disadvantaged communities can miss school due to a combination of issues such as a struggle with routines; problems within the home including parental adversities such as addiction and domestic violence; their own issues around anxiety and other mental health problems; additional practical difficulties in getting to school, for example those in emergency accommodation living long distances away.

“Schools cannot be expected to tackle the issues alone, or solely with the help of Tusla Education Support Services. While the introduction of a DEIS plus model will certainly help, more needs to be introduced across the community and within homes of children to improve engagement with schools.”

To support school attendance the Government needs to:

• Increase investment in services which support families living facing adversity and / or living with inter-generational trauma, all of which impact on children’s attendance and participation in school.
• Talk directly to parents and children about the issues they experience that impact on school attendance and participation and what they see as the solutions.
  
  

ENDS