Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 July 2012
421 Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the attendance rate of disadvantaged schools, which comprises approximately 22% of all schools, compared to non-disadvantaged schools; her views on this problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33252/12]
View answer423 Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if, under the current practice whereby schools are required to notify education welfare officers of individual cases where there are problems or non-attendance in excess of 20 days or if the school suspends a student, if there has been an increase in the past four years with problematic students, non-attendance students or suspensions in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33268/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 421 and 423 together.
Under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 all recognised schools are obliged to submit an Annual Attendance Report to the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), which is under the remit of my Department, on the levels of school attendance each year.
I recently launched the report for the 2009/2010 school year. The report contains a comprehensive analysis of non attendance data in primary and post primary schools including information about absences and suspensions and detailed data about attendance patterns in urban and rural schools, schools in disadvantaged areas and special schools. The data in the report links to the attendance data reported for earlier years. The report is available on the website of the NEWB at www.newb.ie.
The overall reduction in the rate of absenteeism in 2009/2010 is welcome. However the number of children who continue to miss school each day is a concern because of the implications that such absences hold for children and young people's educational and developmental outcomes. Almost €38 million has been allocated to my Department in 2012 to support children and young people's participation and retention in education through the services of the NEWB, in particular, through the School Completion Programme and Home School Community Liaison Scheme which target children in the most disadvantaged communities in the country.
The NEWB, under the remit of my Department, has prioritised the introduction of a new integrated practice and case management system.
