Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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204. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department tracks the number of children living in emergency homeless accommodation who have missed school days or changed schools mid-year; the supports that are in place for educational continuity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36698/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Tackling educational disadvantage and supporting students to fulfil their full potential in life is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth, and for the Government.

Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is under the remit of my Department and operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS has three strands namely the statutory Educational Welfare Service and the two school support services the Home School Community Liaison scheme and the School Completion Programme. The three TESS strands work together collaboratively with schools, parents and guardians and other relevant services to achieve the best educational outcomes for children and young people.

TESS employs a dedicated Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) to work with families who are living in homeless accommodation. The EWO supports families in emergency accommodation with the continuity of their child’s education through supporting attendance where children are enrolled in schools and securing school places where children move and cannot access their previous school.

The EWO links closely with colleagues in TESS to access assistance regarding areas where families are moving to and where educational placements are required. They also work in partnership with local services and nongovernmental organisations to ensure appropriate supports for homeless families are in place for example access to uniforms, transport etc.

The EWO works as a point of contact for family homelessness accommodation providers and other services regarding accessing school places and school attendance-related issues. They work in collaboration with Dublin Region Homeless Executive to share expertise and minimise the disruption to children’s educational welfare. They also offer advice and guidance to schools regarding attendance concerns and making referrals in respect of children living in emergency accommodation.

Service providers, schools or families themselves can make direct referrals to this service.

TESS does not track or extrapolate reported absences from school by housing status. Schools provide Annual Attendance Data for the general school population for their school on a yearly basis.