McDonald, Brontë, Lester, Kathryn J and Michelson, Daniel (2022) 'She didn't know how to go back': school attendance problems in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic - a multiple stakeholder qualitative study with parents and professionals. Br J Educ Psychol. ISSN 0007-0998

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in school closures worldwide and unexcused absences have increased since schools reopened.

AIMS: Drawing on multiple stakeholders' perspectives, we aimed to (i) develop a detailed understanding of how school attendance problems (SAPs) have manifested for primary school-aged children in the context of COVID-19; and (ii) identify promising community-based intervention strategies.

METHODS: We used a qualitative design with two sequential phases of data collection. Phase 1 involved insight generation using qualitative surveys with parents and professionals working in primary education settings. These results were used to guide in-depth stakeholder interviews in Phase 2.

SAMPLE: Phase 1 included 29 parents of primary-school children experiencing SAPs and 19 professionals. Phase 2 included 10 parents and 12 professionals. Parents were recruited through social media; professionals were identified through schools and associated networks in Southern England.

RESULTS: Attendance was particularly challenging for children with special educational needs and pre-existing anxiety problems. Compounding factors included COVID-related anxiety, difficulties adapting to new school routines, poor home-school communication and collaboration, and concerns about academic catch-up. Effective support was characterized by schools and families working closely together. Recommendations for practice improvements centred on early intervention, re-building parent-school relationships, peer support for parents, and improving special educational provision.

CONCLUSION: New interventions for SAPs must be sensitive to the ongoing COVID-19 context. Help should be easily accessible in the community and address modifiable risk and protective factors for individual children, in family systems, and at the home-school interface.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	COVID-19, mental health, parents, qualitative, school attendance problems
Schools and Departments:	School of Psychology > Psychology
SWORD Depositor:	Mx Elements Account
Depositing User:	Mx Elements Account
Date Deposited:	10 Nov 2022 16:56
Last Modified:	10 Nov 2022 17:00
URI:	http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/108990

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