An exploration of the supports and barriers around addressing non-attendance at the secondary school-level within one Scottish authority

Abstract

School plays a key role in the preparation of children and young people (CYP) for their transition into adulthood (Fredricks et al., 2019) and the benefits of attending school are longstanding. There is now a comprehensive body of research that highlights the detrimental impact of school non-attendance for individuals and society (Pellergrini, 2007). Following a gap in Scottish literature in this area, the current study aims to explore the supports and barriers around addressing non-attendance within the secondary school sector in Scotland. The views of seven Educational Professional (EdPs) from one local authority (LA) were gathered through semistructured interviews using the online platform Microsoft Teams. Data analysis was conducted according to the process outlined by Braun and Clarke for Reflexive Thematic Analysis (2019). In accordance with the steps listed, the main themes to emerge (relationships, resources, child and family, training and policy and context) were extracted and explored. The limitations of using an online platform and researcher subjectivity are discussed. The importance of multi-agency working and adopting an ecological approach to addressing school non-attendance are highlighted as implications for practice. In conjunction with this, the need for capacity building through training on the importance of nurturing approaches with professionals and parents are also discussed. Recommendations for future research include gathering the views of CYP (with non-attendance concerns) and their families on what they believe to be the supports and barriers to addressing this issue.