Chronic absenteeism among students has doubled recently

School attendance among children is declining at a concerning rate. Recent reports show that the number of students who frequently miss school has doubled since before the pandemic. Experts highlight that creating a sense of belonging in schools is crucial to address this issue. Andrea Duffy, a coordinator from Tusla, a child and family agency, attends to students who struggle with attendance. She notes that many children still meet with their school completion programme officer, even if they do not attend classes regularly. Duffy emphasizes the importance of understanding each child's situation and adapting support to encourage them to come to school. The decline in attendance has hit disadvantaged areas the hardest. About 42% of primary students and 30% of secondary students in these regions have missed 20 or more school days. Overall, over 25% of primary and 20% of secondary students were chronically absent during the 2022-2023 school year. Mental health issues are on the rise, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Waiting lists for mental health services are long, and many children avoid school for various reasons. Some parents express that their children face challenges linked to undiagnosed neurodivergent conditions like autism or ADHD. Tusla’s Education Support Service is making efforts to assist families. This includes various programs that aim to support students and their parents. Duffy describes one initiative where families come to the school for dinner and receive support. Although these programs help, Duffy acknowledges that funding is still necessary to meet the needs of vulnerable students. The situation has led to an increasing number of referrals to education welfare officers, with reports rising from about 6,771 in 2021-22 to over 8,000 in 2023-24. Tusla is working with schools to rethink their approach to attendance and better understand the reasons behind rising absenteeism.