Toolkit to help tackle growing challenge of school avoidance

Understanding school absenteeism is key to fight it according to Tallaght-based Childhood Development Initiative who are launching the first online ‘toolkit’ for young people, parents and school staff.

Informed by the lived experience of nine schools based in Dublin 24, CDI put together a free, accessible resource called ‘School Avoidance Toolkit’ which explores the growing issue from different perspectives.

School avoidance takes place when a student misses school for more than 20 days without an apparent or health reason and is believed to have grown after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bullying is the most common cause in the school setting, along with more general anxiety caused by academic demand or specific subjects, peer or staff relationship difficulties, and in some cases unavailability of transport to school.

Home environment impacting school attendance seems to be “very much the case in Tallaght” according to CDI, and it can include poverty, family history of early school leaving, family stress or dysfunction, or the child being ‘parentified’ and having to take care of parents.

According to what CDI reported, school avoidance figures are higher than average in Tallaght, “with 42pc of children in DEIS primary schools and 30pc of students in post-primary missing 20 days or more in 2022/23.”

“As educators, we see it every day,” commented St Dominic’s NS principal Seamus Vaughan speaking to CDI. “Schools are doing their best, but we need resources and proper guidance to support the mental health of these students.”

As in many other areas of childhood development, early intervention is crucial to tackle school avoidance according to CDI.

“There would be strong indications that if school avoidance is not addressed in a timely manner it will turn into school refusal, possibly early school leaving and exit from education, with knock-on, long term outcomes for the young person linked to job prospects and social inclusion,” said Michelle Collins, CDI School Engagement and Wellbeing Coordinator.

CDI’s School Avoidance Toolkit, which analyses more in-depth the impacts and the potential approaches to the problem, will be formally launched by Ombudsman for Children Dr Niall Muldoon at the CDI centre on Cookstown Lane on Friday, April 4.

“The Toolkit is a hub of cutting-edge insights and proven strategies to tackle the growing challenge of school avoidance. It also marks a key milestone in CDI’s Strategic Plan 2025-2028, reinforcing its commitment to ensuring every child has access to education and the support they need to thrive,” commented the organisation.

CDI’s School Avoidance Toolkit is part of the organisation’s wider Nova Youth Mental Health Programme.

The Tallaght schools involved in informing CDI’s research were St Dominic’s NS, Scoil Maelruain Senior, St Aidan’s SNS, St Mark’s SNS, Firhouse ETNS, Old Bawn CS, St Aidan’s CS, St Mark’s CS, and Firhouse ETSS.

The organisation also worked with a Youth Advisory Group formed by students of St Mark’s CS.

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