CYP Now - Texting parents could reduce persistent school absence, research finds

Sending personalised letters and text messages to parents of children who are persistently absent from school could help boost attendance rates, new research shows.

Children absent from school are at higher risk of violence and exploitation, researchers warn. Picture: Adobe Stock

However, despite suggestions that such initiatives can have a positive impact on the attendance of children who frequently miss school, particularly those from marginalised or disadvantaged backgrounds, evidence on how to reduce persistent absenteeism is “weak, with very few studies taking place in English schools”, according to an evidence review by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).

The review looks at the findings from 72 studies that aim to improve pupils’ school attendance and analyses evidence for eight different approaches - including parental engagement, incentives and disincentives, and mentoring – to identify strategies that could help boost attendance.

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