Introduction

Regular school attendance is good for the health of our children and our communities.

Chronic absenteeism, as defined by Ontario’s Ministry of Education, means a student has missed more than 10% of scheduled school time during the school year - approximately 18 days total, or more than two days per month - including both excused and unexcused absences.

Occasional absence from school due to health-related causes can be expected. However, chronic school absenteeism adds up quickly and can become a serious problem, negatively impacting a child’s learning, overall health, and future success.

 

Why are Students Missing So Much School?

Many reasons may cause a student to miss school regularly:

• Individual factors may include the temperament of the child, lagging social and emotional skills, unknown learning needs, medical and psychiatric conditions, low self-esteem, and a heightened sensitivity to school failures.
• Peer-related factors may include bullying or difficulties building relationships with peers
• Family factors may include family stressors such as: parental unemployment, parental history of psychiatric illness, low parent involvement, familial conflict, or the child being given caregiving responsibilities, and living in unsafe neighbourhoods.
• School factors may include the school climate, school connectedness, limited school transportation options, the child’s perceptions of school safety and belonging, and the child’s feelings of being respected and valued at school.

 

The Impact of COVID-19

In Canada, regular school attendance has dropped significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic led to school closures as part of the strategy to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and this led to students being engaged in online learning and out of routine in-person attendance.

It is no surprise that the pandemic changed attitudes about the value of regular school attendance as more and more parents and guardians have sustained heightened concerns over schools as high-risk settings for transmission of COVID-19 and other diseases. Parents may also keep their kids home with milder symptoms, and for longer timeframes, than before the pandemic.

 

When Can Your Child Go to School?

For the past few years, Public Health Units all over Canada have recommended keeping your kids home at the first sign of a sniffle or sneeze.

With the public health requirements of the COVID-19 pandemic safely behind us, big increases in school absenteeism rates are something we’re working to address with our local education partners, as social interaction, routine, and healthy cognitive development are critically important for children's overall health.

So, when can you feel safe sending your kids to school?

Feel empowered to send your kids to school when they’re generally healthy and well, even if they:

• *Have a mild or lingering runny nose and/or cough, as long as it's not new/worsening or accompanied by a fever.
• Have eye drainage without fever, eye pain, or eyelid redness.
• Have a mild stomach-ache, without vomiting or diarrhea.
• Have a mild rash with no other symptoms.
• Have head lice. Though treatment is recommended as quickly as possible.

While some diagnosed illnesses/infections may require a child to stay home from school, for most common/general day-to-day ailments, if they’re fever-free and feeling well enough to participate in usual day-to-day activities, they’re good to go!

*Provincial guidance still suggests wearing a mask after new symptoms arise and staying home for 24 hours after symptoms improve. View more here:

Protection from COVID‑19 anhttps://www.ontario.ca/page/protection-covid-19-and-other-respiratory-illnessesd other respiratory illnesses | ontario.ca

 

Why Attendance Matters

In a perfect world, school should be a place that is celebrated and cherished by all students.

Schools are pivotal spaces that provide students with the social, emotional, and academic skills they need to develop into confident and healthy individuals. Regular school attendance leads to improved academic achievement, increased self-awareness and socio-emotional learning, and leads to positive behaviours, both in school and out of school.

School absenteeism can result in lifelong negative impacts and can put students at risk for poor academic performance and achievement (particularly for social skills and reading), grade retention, and school dropout.

• Poor academic performance and achievement can be associated with unhealthy behaviours and poor health and social outcomes:
  • More likely to be unemployed or work at a part-time or lower-paying job compared to those with higher educational attainment.
  • Less likely to report having a job they find to be fulfilling and are less likely to feel they have control over their lives.
  • More likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours that lead to poor health outcomes, including smoking cigarettes or cannabis, using alcohol and other drugs, and engaging in risky sexual activity.
  • More likely to have reduced self-efficacy, eagerness to learn and social engagement.

 

Breaking Down Barriers at School

Chronic lateness and absence are major barriers to student success. Feeling like there’s a wall between you and your child’s educators and school can help increase student absenteeism and have negative effects on grades, social development, and the maintenance of good mental health.

We’re encouraging parents and guardians to open a direct line of communication with their child’s school and their teachers – building these relationships is key to fostering supporting, open environments where everyone can speak their minds and get the help and support they need to thrive in school.

 

Ways to Promote Improved School Attendance

There is a limited, but growing body of evidence about effective interventions to improve school attendance. The following are recommendations to promote school attendance:

• Administrators and Educators
  • Inform parents on the importance of school attendance and explain the effects of school absences on school performance and future wellness. Explain how absences can add up. Stress the value of developing strong attendance habits starting in early childhood.
  • Celebrate and praise students when they are regularly attending school, meaning they miss no more than a day per month on average.
  • Provide guidance and education on appropriate and inappropriate reasons for exclusion (e.g., when a child should stay home if sick and how to avoid absences from minor illness or anxiety).
• Parents and Caregivers
  • Track your child’s attendance to identify challenges early.
  • Seek support to address barriers to attendance.
  • Share your concerns about your children’s health with your health provider or school nurse.

There’s no better way to build positive relationships and support healthy social development with new friends and school staff than by attending school regularly! When your child is absent, they’re missing out on the opportunity to build positive, meaningful relationships they need to thrive in school and life. Let’s get them back to the classroom!