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Model for supporting attendance and intervening in school absences​​​​

INTERVENING IN ABSENCES 50–100H

Finding out the reasons for absences as well as multidisciplinary support prevent school dropouts 

Communal support

If a student’s attendance is irregular, it is important not to break the connection with the school’s operations, one’s own teacher or another adult in the school. The student and guardian should agree on who the responsible adult in the school is as well as how connection is kept with the student, guardians and networks.

Ready message template for teachers, a student welfare consultation when needed. A city-level message template that schools may edit/supplement is provided below. The message should be sent via Wilma/DigiOne by the class or homeroom teacher or another person specified by the school. The message should be sent at the latest when 100 absence hours have accumulated, but the school may specify a lower hour-threshold for sending the message.

Dear guardian,

Following the City of Vantaa’s School for all – Model for supporting attendance and intervening in school absences, please see below a message for the guardians whose child’s absence level exceeds the monitoring limit. The message may also be sent to the concerned upper school pupils.
Pupil N.N. has by X/X accumulated in total ___ absence hours, of which ___ hours are authorised absences, ___ hours unauthorised absences and ___ hours unauthorized cleared absences. (Insert DigiOne notes pertaining to DigiOne pilot schools here)

Early intervention in absences helps to avoid prolonged absences and learning challenges. Authorised sick and holiday absences can also cause challenges for pupils in progressing in their studies. Absences and their reasons should be paid attention to so the pupil gets the support they need.
The class/homeroom teacher tracks their pupils’ absences and will contact the guardians according to the school plan. You should contact the school if you find yourself worrying about your child’s absences. If you, as a guardian, need support with your child’s absences, you may also contact the student welfare staff. When investigating absences, we try to find common solutions to support the pupil’s schooling.

Add school contact details below:
Classroom teacher / Homeroom teacher / Special education teacher / Student counselor / Principal etc.

Absence message to the guardian_SV
Absence message to the guardian_SO
Absence message to the guardian_RU
Absence message to the guardian_ET
Absence message to the guardian_AR
Absence message to the guardian_AL

Individual support

Draft an action plan to support the student:

  • How is the child or adolescent supported by student welfare means?
  • Roles of the different operators: guardians, teacher, other school operators, student welfare personnel
  • What sort of pedagogical arrangements are beneficial for the student?
    – flexible teaching arrangements, such as groupings to support learning and team building based on learning styles, interests, etc.
    – reviewing the lesson structure and teaching methods
    – purposeful and varied working methods, functionality as well as using versatile materials in teaching
    – clear lesson structure and routines in the structure of the lessons and school day
    – displaying competence in versatile ways e.g. through oral tests and continuous assessments
    – using tools in teaching that facilitate learning and behaviour
    – utilising the possibilities of simultaneous teaching or co-teaching
    – the appropriate expectation level for assignments
    – teacher’s language awareness in all operations
    – differentiation for tests, learning materials, facilities, etc.
    – teaching assistant support, student counselling, remedial teaching, part-time special needs education


Sources: KouluKunnossa, Oulun kynämalli

The following table lists proven tools for school personnel for situations where students have absences. You should remember, however, that no tool works without or replaces meeting face-to-face, building an interactive relationship or knowing the student.

Individuals

Questionnaires:
ISAP_kysely.pdf (koulukunnossa.fi)
ISAP_ohjeet.pdf (koulupoissaolo.fi/en/start-page/)
SRAS-R_kysely.pdf (koulukunnossa.fi)
SRAS-vanhemmat.pdf (koulukunnossa.fi)
Koulupoissaolokysely_-_arviointiohje-1.pdf (koulukunnossa.fi)
SEQ-SS_suomi.docx (koulupoissaolo.fi)
SEQ-RSAP_suomi.pdf (koulupoissaolo.fi)
Koulupoissaolojen-tarkistuslista SNACK.pdf

Assessment screen:
Koulunkäyntikyvyn arviointiseula (toimintakykyarvio.fi)
Toimintakykyarvio.fi

Lists:
Support measures checklist

Operational model:
Check in Check out (CICO) | NMI
CICO manual

Self-help programme:
Mental hub for young people

Guide:
Pieni huoltokirja oppimisen ja koulunkäynnin tueksi (valteri.fi/en)


Individuals and groups

Programme:
Nuorten kompassi

Material bank:
Materials – Mieli Mental Health Finland
KouluKunnossa

A student who needs support for applying for further learning after basic education is, in addition to student counselling, entitled to enhanced personal student counselling in grades 8 and 9 based on their needs. The student counsellor should determine the specific need and contents of enhanced personal student counselling. The enhanced counselling could be e.g. individual or small group counselling, job shadowing or educational institution visits. The focus in enhanced personal student counselling is on developing students’ further study readiness and directing students to suitable further studies.

The formation of a multidisciplinary expert group is always decided on by the student and guardians together. The persons who are relevant for the student’s case are invited to join the group.

A multidisciplinary expert group may be formed when at least one student welfare employee (school social worker/school psychologist/school nurse) in addition to pedagogical staff is involved in a student’s case.

Source: Teacher’s handbook for student welfare issues (2.3, p. 6)

If a school employee considers a student to need student welfare social worker and psychologist services in an absence situation, they may contact the school social worker or school psychologist together with the student and give the necessary information for the needs assessment of the support.

When a student is referred to individual clientship in student welfare services, they have the right to conversation with the school psychologist or school social worker: a) at the latest on the seventh school day after the student has requested it, or b) in urgent situations on the same or next school day. The student has the right to visit the school psychologist or school social worker, even if the guardians forbid it.

The school nurse provides services in acute cases (30–60 minutes) on the days they are available for appointments. During those times, students may see the school nurse without an appointment.

More information on Student Welfare services: Basic education school social worker and school psychologist services | Vantaa

At times, external support is needed. Student welfare is there to help teachers to build support networks. When a sufficient amount of support measures has been taken in the school, external support is usually then easier to get, too. If a student already has external support providers when concern grows, efficient networking should be aimed at.

The following services may be mapped into students’ support networks in Vantaa:

Learning support

Make sure the student and guardian understand the formation and forms of support.

What sort of support arrangements have been decided on?

  • Are there things regarding the level of support that could be done differently?
  • What would make it easier for the student to come to school? E.g. is there an adult meeting them at an agreed spot in the mornings?
  • How are the recorded issues working out?
  • Is the implemented support followed up often enough?

The homeroom teacher or special education teacher may be in direct contact with Jalkautuva paja (mobile special support) teacher at an early stage. Together they can come up with suitable activities to support the student. The main thing is not to watch the situation for too long. If a student is in need of teaching by Jalkautuva paja, you should contact the district coordinator. The support by Jalkautuva paja is primarily temporary, and the aim is to promote the return to their own school.