School attendance

Mala1313

Hi, my kids have already missed good number of days from school due to illness. I worry that they will go over 20 days soon. Just wondering what happens if child is absent from school for more than 20 days? What's the school procedure?

shesty

I think it is 20 days that are unaccounted for.Yours are accounted for, by sickness.I have a few friends worrying about this, with kids staying off for tests and then siblings catching covid, but I would say it is the same across the board for everyone.

XsApollo

Why would people be worrying about this?

if there is a reason the child is off they are off.

if you have reason to be worried by the outcome then the outcome might be best needed.

Murple

Schools have to make attendance returns to Tulsa twice a year and all pupils over the age of 6 missing 20 days or more are included, regardless of whether the absences are explained or not. In the returns, it needs to be specified under which categories these absences are under- illness, urgent family reasons, holiday, suspension, other, unexplained. There is generally very little follow up unless the absences are very high or they are unexplained or there are additional concerns about attendance and pupil welfare e.g. a child who is missing a lot of days and is collected early or arrives late on a regular basis.

I really wouldn’t worry about the 20 days at the moment. COVID means much longer and more regular absences than usual. Just make sure all absences are explained to the school.

byhookorbycrook

If there is a genuine reason,there is no cause for concern.As already mentioned, inform the teacher for the reasons of the various absences. Legally, you must receive a letter when a child reaches 20 days, but it's simply a matter of form , if the child has been ill etc.

shesty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118153921#Comment_118153921

Because for some people the days are stacking up.And if you are a parent who has always made sure your kids get to school and you always follow up on homework and everything, but suddenly, say your child potentially missed 10 days as a close contact some time in September and then has had to miss 2 -3 days every time they or a sibling get tested (be it positive or negative), plus if a sibling is positive, having to stay at home a further 17 days....and it's only early November now....yeah, people are getting worried they will be reported for simply following rules that are being imposed on us.

Valhallapt

School makes a return to Tusla. Tusla almost never read them. It’s really only an issue if the school directly contact tusla with a specific concern, and even at that Tusla might not even look into it.

XsApollo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118168992#Comment_118168992

Getting worried about being reported?

Why would you worry?

there is a mechanism in place to find genuine issues and it’s probably more A mechanism and reason to check on children that might not be checked on otherwise.

if you have reason to be out you are out, 20 days isn’t some magic number that kids can’t be out of school for.

byhookorbycrook

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118168992#Comment_118168992

If your child has always had good attendance and enjoys excellent support at home, you really don't have to worry. The TUSLA system is for those children that miss many, many, days every single year, without reason and about whom the school is concerned.