What’s keeping children out of school?
Summary
Onya Keefe, National Service Director for TUSLA’s Educational Support Service, joins Anton Savage to discuss a persistent post-pandemic crisis in Irish school attendance. The segment highlights new research showing one in five children misses at least 20 days of school annually, driven by multifaceted factors like homelessness, disability, and socioeconomic disadvantage. Keefe emphasizes that resolving this issue requires a collaborative, cross-sector approach involving parents, schools, and government agencies, rather than assigning blame. The discussion underscores the critical role of da…
Topics discussed
Sponsor: Apple Ads on Apple Maps
Intro: Child school attendance crisis
Post-Covid persistent absence problem
Summit with 300 delegates and government agencies
Shift in cultural attitude toward absenteeism
Wraparound services and school support systems
Diverse factors: homelessness, care, and disadvantage
Education as a right and community responsibility
Shared responsibility between parents and schools
Consultation with 100 children and young people
Importance of school structure and routine
Risks of falling behind: drugs, gangs, and crime
Campaign message: Every day is a new day
Outro and repeat of Apple Ads sponsor
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