8 reasons school absenteeism is so high in Ireland – according to an educational psychologist

Despite a return to normality, school absenteeism has more than doubled post-COVID, with the proportion of chronically absent children rising sharply. The latest figures reveal that one in ten primary school students and nearly one in five secondary school students are now classified as chronic absentees—meaning they miss at least 20 days of school per year. Our BetterCare™ educational Psychologist, Deborah Walsh, breaks down eight factors behind the huge increase in absenteeism, lateness to school, and truancy.

Student’s immediate environment.

The student’s family life, school life, and relationships with peers all play a role in their sense of belonging and desire to be in school.

1. Issues with mental health with the student or within their immediate environment.
2. Bullying in school or within peer groups
3. Conflict in school, at home or with peers.
4. Difficult relationship with a teacher.
5. Learning difficulties (especially undiagnosed)
6. Lack of student support services within the school.
7. Pressure to get high grades from parents, teachers or within themselves.
8. Number of free classes in any given day due to staff illness or staff shortages.
9. Social communication difficulties
10. Difficulty with emotional regulation

Conflict between home and school

1. Lack of communication between home and school.
2. Lack of agreement between school and parents.
3. Differing approaches between home and school.
4. Lack of communication hindering early detection of attendance problems.
5. Inconsistent messaging between home and school leading to feelings of insecurity.
6. These inconsistencies and conflicts allow minor difficulties to become more embedded and serious.

The student’s external environment

1. Lack of community resources can lead to a sense of isolation.
2. Parents having difficulty in work can cause concern.
3. Lack of a social support network in school or at home.
4. Economic factors can greatly impact on a student in term of access to books, stationary, lunch, school outings and social events.
5. Access to transport can be a big factor.
6. High crime in the neighbourhood

The broader contexts within which a student lives

1. Socioeconomic disparities within the school and social network.
2. Cultural attitude to school within the home and local

community.

1. Access to healthcare.
2. Access to appropriate housing.
3. Participation in extracurricular activities.

Life events can impact a student’s wellbeing

1. Family relocation.
2. Divorce.
3. Trauma (physical or psychological).
4. Illness.

Stress

Since COVID, a lot of students have found it difficult to return to the normal routine, especially those who thrived with online homeschooling. Many were traumatised by the experience of lockdown and were slow to adapt back to the normal routine, often leading to gaps in their education, which in turn led to having to catch up constantly. This kind of situation can lead to chronic levels of stress, anxiety and psycho-somatic illnesses. Secondary school, especially, can move at quite a pace, and there is usually an onus on the student to catch up themselves if they miss a class or just feel zoned out in that class. While in a lot of schools, there are online resources to help students catch up, this is not always the case, leaving students in a vacuum. This further exacerbates the situation, leading to chronic levels of anxiety and school avoidance. The return to school after COVID is just one example. The same sequence of events can happen when a student is out of school due to illness, injury, or bereavement.

Bullying

Bullying is chronic in Irish schools and while there are anti-bullying programmes, very few students pay any heed to these programmes. Bullying can become out of hand very quickly as the student often feels fearful about reporting the bullying, concerned that it will only get worse if they do. Not all schools have a strong ethos of student well being and coming forward about bullying is not always straightforward. Lack communication between teachers within a school about what they have witnessed is a problem as well as the lack of communication between secondary schools and parents. There is also a chronic lack of counselling support services within schools, which is desperately needed.

Access to supports

Many schools are dealing with numerous students with complex needs, and they don’t have access to supports such as psychology, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and counselling that they urgently need. This leads to a lack of appropriate support for these students, which leads to high levels of stress and anxiety.

How Can Parents Help reduce School Absenteeism?

Parents play a crucial role in promoting school attendance. RHere are some ways to support your child: 💡Establish a Routine – Consistent bedtime and morning schedules make it easier to get up for school. 💡Communicate with Teachers – Stay informed about your child’s progress and any challenges they may be facing. 💡Address Anxiety and Stress – Encourage open conversations about school-related worries and seek professional support if needed. 💡Promote the Value of Education – Help children understand the importance of regular attendance for their future success. If your child is refusing school, struggling with severe anxiety or feeling the academic pressure, maybe child & adolescent psychotherapy would help. This type of therapy helps young people understand and process their emotions, develop healthier thought patterns, and improve their overall mental health. If you’d like to discuss what type of help your child might need or to book an appointment, call 01-5563335, WhatsApp 089-2300366, or book through the link below. Child & Adolescent Therapy Book Now