Education Welfare Service - Education Authority

The Education Welfare Service (EWS) supports parents and carers to fulfil their statutory responsibility in ensuring that children attend school regularly.

The Education Welfare Service works in partnership with schools, parents, EA Services and other professionals to reduce pupil absence and to raise achievement, enabling young people to maximise their educational opportunities and potential.

Education Welfare Officers can offer advice to parents and schools on attendance related matters such as bullying, suspensions and expulsions and school transfer procedures.

How can Education Welfare Service help?

Each school has a named Education Welfare Officer (EWO). The EWO works with the school to help bring about an improvement in the schools level of attendance and to reduce unauthorised absences and truancy.

EWO's provide the following support:

• Regular audits of attendance.
• Input and support when there are concerns about a pupil’s level of attendance.
• Be a link between school and home so that the young person attends school regularly again.
• Advice and assistance to schools when they review and update their school attendance policies.
• Input to procedures and initiatives that schools may introduce to improve their school attendance.
• Advice and guidance to teaching staff and school administrative staff in relation to any queries they may with regards to the coding of the school register in line with current DE Circular 2022/07 - Attendance Guidance & Absence Recording By Schools.

What parents can do to help ?

Parents can help their child(ren) by:

• Establishing a good routine with regards to school from an early age.
• This can include ensuring your child goes to bed and gets up each morning at an appropriate time for school;
• arrives punctually;
• attends school regularly;
• and ensure homework’s are completed.
• Notifying the school as soon as possible if your child has to miss school.
• Providing a note/explanation in relation to the absence(s) as soon as your child returns to school.
• Maintaining good communication and regular contact with your child’s school.
• Raising any problems or difficulties with the school as quickly as possible.