School absence leads to lower educational qualifications and poorer wellbeing in early adulthood

New research, published by the ESRI and produced in partnership with Tusla Education Support Service (TESS), uses Growing Up in Ireland data to provide the first Irish evidence on the effects of school absence at age 13 on educational qualifications, labour market outcomes and wellbeing at ages 20 and 25.

Key findings:

How does school absence affect later educational outcomes?

• Even short spells of absence of one to two days at age 13 are linked to lower Leaving Certificate grades.
• There is a very large performance gap related to chronic absence, defined as missing 20 or more days a year, a gap of over 80 Leaving Certificate points even taking account of a range of other factors that affect performance.
• This performance gap is evident across all social groups. There is therefore no evidence that more advantaged families can successfully counter the negative effects of absenteeism for their children.
• Longer school absence at age 13 is significantly related to lower chances of going on to higher education and of achieving a degree by age 25.
• Young people with prolonged absence from school are also more negative about the benefits of their schooling to their broader social and personal development, especially the role of their school in increasing their self-confidence and helping them develop into a well-balanced person.
• Young people who attend a school with a higher prevalence of chronic absence achieve lower Leaving Certificate points. Even young people who themselves have good attendance have poorer outcomes if school-level absence is higher.
• Attending a post-primary school with a high level of absence is linked to lower chances of attending higher education, even for those who had good attendance records.

How does school absence affect labour market outcomes?

• More prolonged absence is linked to being less likely to be in a professional or managerial job and to lower employment income. Part of this difference is related to the more disadvantaged profile of those with prolonged absence.

How does school absence affect health and wellbeing?

• Chronic absence at ages 9 and 13 is predictive of depressive symptoms and higher stress levels at both 20 and 25 years.
• Life satisfaction at 20 and 25 years of age is much lower among those who were persistently absent from school at age 13. This difference is sizeable, larger than that by gender or disability.
• Those who have higher levels of absence at age 13 report poorer physical health at ages 20 and 25, even when taking into account the effect of earlier health, disability and social background.
• Fewer close ties with others (i.e. social relatedness) are found among those who were chronically absent at age 13.
• Much lower levels of general trust in others are evident even among those with moderate levels of absence (four to six days). The gap in trust between those with no absence and those with 11 or more days is sizeable, suggesting some degree of social alienation among this group of adults.
• Having attended a high-absence primary school is also markedly related to lower levels of trust in others.
• It is difficult to identify the reasons for these patterns, but it seems likely that school absence has disrupted key developmental processes that enhance wellbeing, coping strategies and social ties in later life.

Emer Smyth, co-author of the report, said: ‘School absence emerges as an important driver of later inequality, with very significant negative consequences for educational attainment, health, wellbeing and social belonging. The findings highlight the urgency of addressing school absence, especially given the higher levels apparent since the pandemic. It is important too to look at how schools can mitigate the disruption of student development caused by absence through initiatives to help address learning loss and to support broader social development.’

Anna Moya, co-author of the report, said: ‘The fact that absenteeism is linked to poorer socio-emotional outcomes in young adulthood, including higher levels of internalising symptoms and lower levels of social trust, suggests that school attendance is very meaningful for children’s and young people’s development and well-being. It points to the importance of schools as spaces where connections are formed and where young people develop the social competencies necessary for their future lives.’

Áine O’Keeffe, Director of Tusla Education Support Service, says: ‘This important report, undertaken as part of a joint research project by TESS and the ESRI, starkly outlines the impact of school absence not only on attainment levels but also on children and young people’s future wellbeing. TESS is proactively working with schools, education partners, parents and the wider community to promote the importance of regular school attendance for all children. TESS-led attendance initiatives include ‘Anseo’ - an evidence-based framework being rolled out to schools to help them analyse and respond to attendance data, and a national multimedia campaign to promote the importance of regular school attendance to run in the coming weeks. TESS school-based services continue to work directly with children, young people and parents to support regular school attendance.’

The Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton, T.D., commented: ‘Regular school attendance plays a vital role not only in academic achievement but in supporting young people’s wellbeing, confidence and future opportunities. This important research highlights the lasting impact that even relatively short periods of absence can have on educational outcomes and life chances. As Minister for Education and Youth, I am committed to ensuring that every child and young person feels supported to attend and engage fully in school. We know that attendance challenges can arise for many reasons, and it is essential that schools, families and support services continue to work together to identify difficulties early and provide the right supports at the right time. The findings reinforce the importance of a whole-school and whole-community approach, including the valuable work of Tusla Education Support Service and our education partners, to promote positive attendance and ensure that all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential.’