Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 October 2025
221. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth how Tusla categorises and verifies "unexplained absences" in school attendance data, and what proportion of these cases receive follow-up engagement with families. [53662/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraTackling school absences is a key part of my plan to ensure that every child can achieve their full potential. Regular attendance in school is essential not just for academic achievement, but for wellbeing, social development and long-term life outcomes.
Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is under the remit of my department and operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS has three strands namely the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS) and the two school support services the Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) scheme and the School Completion Programme (SCP). The three TESS strands work together collaboratively with schools, parents and guardians and other relevant services to achieve the best educational outcomes for children and young people.
Under the Act, schools report to Tusla twice a year on all students who have missed 20 cumulative days or more of school for any reason. Data collected is used to provide statistical reports on school absence for those aged between 6 and 16 years. Data is provided to TESS from schools under absence categories including unexplained absences. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to provide an explanation for the absence, and the school must have an attendance policy stating the method by which a parent provides explanations and the procedures that the school employs to follow up on absences.
Where a school has a cause for concern in relation to a student's attendance, a formal referral can be made to the Educational Welfare Service (EWS). All referrals received by the EWS are screened and assessed by a Senior Education Welfare Officer (SEWO) and receive a response. Referrals with significant unexplained absences are prioritised for follow up engagement by an allocated educational welfare officer (EWO). The school will also be asked to document interventions already made in line with their school attendance strategy and DEIS schools will be asked to include additional interventions deployed, for example, interventions by the HSCL coordinator or the SCP project worker.
During the first 10 months of the 2024/25 school year, 9,059 referrals were screened by a SEWO.
