When there are significant absences from school

Teachers often comment that when children are absent from school for a reasonable length of time, they can feel more vulnerable returning to class and fitting back into the classroom environment.

They sometimes feel that through their absence their relationship with the other children is more vulnerable and that socially engaging with them will be difficult.

 When a child is absent for a few weeks, it is a good idea to keep talking about school and if the child has been sick, I would encourage a few phone calls with friends to keep in touch.

If there has been an extended holiday which has caused the absence, consider the child writing emails or keeping in touch through whatever social media the school is using. This gives the child the sense that they are not so removed from their school and that dialogue with friends is alive and well.

In today's world of fast communication, it is not difficult to keep the conversation going between school and family.

Absences from school