Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
825. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education if a child who is deemed to be a high risk of contracting Covid-19 and is being home-schooled will be marked absent from school; if the authorities will be contacted to investigate the reason for absences in cases in which there are too many absences in the school year. [13967/21]
View answerThe Health Protection Surveillance Centre and HSE has published guidance in relation to the return to school for at risk groups. The advice confirms that for the vast majority of children, can return to school and it is important for the overall health and wellbeing for children to attend school. This is consistent with public health advice internationally. The guidance is available at the following link. www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/educationguidance/HSE%20advice%20on%20return%20to%20school.pdf.
My Department has also published guidance to support schools in making adapted education provision for those children who cannot return to school because they are medically certified as being at ‘very high risk’ to COVID-19. The guidance is available on gov.ie. The purpose of this adapted education provision is to ensure that students who are medically certified as being at very high risk to COVID-19 can maintain a meaningful connection with their class group and school in order to successfully continue their learning from home. Students in this category who engage with learning from home should be marked present on attendance records.
Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) has a statutory responsibility to intervene when a parent/guardian is failing or neglecting his/her child’s attendance at school. TESS views all school attendance referrals from a child welfare perspective with the intention of finding solutions that will enable and support students to attend, participate and be retained in education. I can assure the Deputy that TESS will continue to look at all school attendance cases with a compassionate and child welfare centred approach for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic. The role of TESS is to ensure that all students have access to education. TESS is available to work with any student or family in need of support.
