Your child is absent. What does school do about it?.

Your child is absent. What does school do about it?.

Most children feel safe at school and know who to go to if there are problems. But many parents do not know what the school does when their child is absent. Almost half of parents even say that the school does not take action if their child is absent for a longer time.

That appears from research by Ouders & Onderwijs among 956 parents in the Landelijk Ouderpanel.

Feeling seen and supported

Three quarters of parents say the school sees their child’s absence. Two thirds of parents feel that their child feels seen and supported at school. Slightly more than half of the parents experience the cooperation with school as (very) good.

Parents insufficiently familiar with absenteeism policy and approach

Almost all parents agree that the absence rules must be easy to find for students and parents. Yet more than a quarter of the surveyed parents say they do not know what the school does when their child is absent. And 41% of parents say they do not know what the school does when a child is absent without notification.

Too little action and contact in case of absence at school

With a longer absence (more than 16 hours in 4 weeks) a quarter of these parents say they have not had contact with the school about their child’s absence. Almost half of the surveyed parents (41%) say that the school does not take action for longer absence.

About the research and the Landelijk Ouderpanel

956 parents with a child in primary and secondary school took part in the research. The results give an indication of parents’ experiences with attendance at schools and the minister’s measures. Want to join the discussion about important school topics? Then sign up for the Landelijk Ouderpanel.

Questions and contact

Do you have questions about the rules the school set about attendance? Or does your child have absenteeism and do you want advice? Then contact our advice point by calling or WhatsApping 088-6050101 or via the contact form on our website.