Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Empty classroom via Shutterstock

Kids of unemployed and depressed parents more likely to be absent from class

The research found that parents, who help out at home with schoolwork and attend parent–teacher meetings, are less likely to have children with bad attendance.

CHILDREN WHOSE MOTHERS are not native English or Irish speakers are more likely to have a poor attendance record. However, children of immigrant mothers who speak English actually attended more days of school than some groups of Irish children, which shows that language barriers are associated with poor attendance patterns rather than immigrant status.

Researchers of a recent ESRI report, ‘Reasons for persistent absenteeism among Irish primary school pupils’, focused on persistent absenteeism of more than 20 days in the last year.

They found that parents, who help out at home with schoolwork and attend parent–teacher meetings, are less likely to have children with bad attendance.

Unemployed parents were more than three times more likely than those in the highest social group to have children with a poor school attendance record.

Depression

An important new finding was the effect of maternal depression. Children living with a mother who was depressed had an increased likelihood of having a poor attendance record.

In addition, children who witnessed parental conflict were almost twice as likely to be persistent absentees.

Bullied

In terms of the child’s own characteristics, having special needs or a chronic illness posed higher risks in terms of children’s school attendance, while victims of bullying were also significantly more likely to experience attendance problems than children who had not been bullied.

Girls vs. boys

While researchers did not compare girls against boys attendance, children attending single sex boys’ schools were twice as likely to have attendance issues compared to pupils attending all girls’ schools.

Persistent absenteeism was also more common among children attending schools where principals reported that the number of teachers was inadequate.

Read: Irish children less likely to feel they belong in primary schools>
More: 110,000 families to receive the back-to-school allowance automatically>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
29 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Padraig
    Favourite Padraig
    Report
    Apr 16th 2017, 3:55 PM

    Looks good.

    283
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Huston
    Favourite David Huston
    Report
    Apr 16th 2017, 5:06 PM

    @Padraig: Red Thumb.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pablo
    Favourite Pablo
    Report
    Apr 16th 2017, 6:39 PM

    I doubt it just “popped up”
    Serious amount of time and effort gone into this, it looks good

    73
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian
    Favourite Brian
    Report
    Apr 16th 2017, 5:29 PM

    Does the author works for the Ladbible by any chance .

    Has this Sculpture “broke the internet” as well ?

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mick McGuinness
    Favourite Mick McGuinness
    Report
    Apr 16th 2017, 4:23 PM

    A giant red squirrel eating a nut, like the politician in the Dail putting all their nut’s in one place.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alois Irlmaier
    Favourite Alois Irlmaier
    Report
    Apr 17th 2017, 2:29 AM

    @Mick McGuinness: In Merkel’s hand???

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas M Bourke
    Favourite Thomas M Bourke
    Report
    Apr 16th 2017, 5:15 PM

    Ah so *that’s* what they were doing on the cherry picker on Thursday!

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Hardwicke
    Favourite Tony Hardwicke
    Report
    Apr 16th 2017, 9:17 PM

    Wonder how long it’ll last. .I’d say the local apaches are planning their assault on it

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute jackmurphy
    Favourite jackmurphy
    Report
    Apr 16th 2017, 4:01 PM

    it looks how its supposed to look, rubbish

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Soccer T's
    Favourite Soccer T's
    Report
    Apr 16th 2017, 4:27 PM

    @jackmurphy: Didn’t get any Easter eggs jack? Cheer up

    126
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jed I. Knight
    Favourite Jed I. Knight
    Report
    Apr 16th 2017, 8:55 PM

    @jackmurphy: If it makes you smile or you get a giggle from it, great. If it doesn’t, simply avert your sensitive eyes and keep on walking.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jack Cassady
    Favourite Jack Cassady
    Report
    Apr 17th 2017, 7:38 PM

    What a load of rubbish.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds