Frances Fitzgerald TD., Minister for Children and Youth Affairs launches the Evaluation of Ballymun School Attendance Initiative
26 March 2012
Frances Fitzgerald TD., Minister for Children and Youth Affairs launches the Evaluation of Ballymun School Attendance Initiative
Speaking at the launch today Minister Fitzgerald said "I know that here in Ballymun there is valuable work ongoing to achieve deeper integration and coordination locally within the existing services. Developing synergies between services working to serve the same community and reducing any duplication of effort are critical if we are to enhance outcomes for children within the limited resources available.
In this context the importance of evaluating our activities cannot be overstated. Our challenge is to ensure we derive the maximum benefit from the investment of taxpayers’ money. I want to strongly emphasise the importance of evidence based interventions, regular evaluations and the continual evaluation of outcomes to ensure scarce resources are effectively targeted to those who will benefit most.
I know from the reports on attendance collated by the NEWB (and soon to be published) that the percentage of student/days lost through absence is running at just over 6% in primary schools and around 8% in post-primary schools. The figures for 2009/10 are lower than for 2008/09 and are at the lower end for the five year period covering 2005/06 – 2009/10. I also am aware that, nationally, over 56,000 students miss school each day. That is 11 school days per student per year in primary school and 13 days per year in post-primary school. While every small improvement is to be welcomed the statistics demonstrate the extent of the challenge we face.
I am most impressed with the materials provided to support your goals. Complex messages, simply delivered can have an enormous impact. Pulling together communities for the good of the children is central to all our activities. You describe it as a “whole town working together”. Gathering parents, teachers, school communities, children, together to work towards goals that improves the wellbeing of children and strengthens the foundation of our community; together you are bringing lasting change.
From evaluations such as this, and other research, I have a clear view of what needs to be done to make Ireland one of the best places in the world in which to grow up or to raise a family. Through my Department, its agencies and service providers we will work to make this happen.
The immense time, effort and resources you put into this programme feeds into this wider context where we are all seeking to improve school attendance.
More information is available from http://www.ballymun.org/
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