Key findings:
School Avoidance: More than one fifth (21%) of primary and one third (33%) of secondary school parents said their children were refusing or avoiding going to school at least once a month.
Absenteeism: Almost half (46%) of parents said their children missed school for non-health/medical reasons last year once or twice, with 11% of primary and 13% of secondary school parents saying more than five times.
Additional needs: More than half of primary (56%) and two thirds of secondary (63%) school parents with children who have special educational needs, said their child only had some or none of the supports they need to engage fully in school.
Methodology: The Barnardos Back to School Survey received 704 responses, 455 primary and 249 secondary school students. The 2026 report is based on an online survey of parents from the 7th to 31st July shared via email and social media with the public and Barnardos supporters.
Press Release: One-third of secondary and one-fifth of primary students avoid or refuse going to school at least once a month, according to a new survey by Barnardos. The most common reason given was anxiety felt by the student, according to a survey of more than 700 parents. The survey reportexamines some of the main issues that children and young people face when returning to or starting school, including struggling with big transitions, difficulties attending and school avoidance, and struggling to engage due to additional needs and insufficient supports.
The children’s charity is calling on the Government to address these issues through additional supports and by rolling out existing best practice to make a considerable difference to the lives of thousands of children across the country and help combat educational disadvantage more widely.
The survey found:
- General Worries: 60% of primary and 70% of secondary school parents said their children had some form of concern or worry about going back to school. 30% of primary school parents said their child had worries in relation to friendships, 26% around struggles with class work, 12% worries about bullying and 18% difficulties with routines. For secondary school parents 31% identified friendships, 33% struggles with class work, 18% bullying and 25% difficulties with routines.
- School Avoidance: More than one fifth (21%) of primary and one third (33%) of secondary school parents said their children were school refusing or avoiding at least once a month. Half of primary (52%) and 42% of secondary school parents said the main reason for refusal was anxiety. 28% of primary and 37% of secondary school parents said that school refusal worsened over the past year.
- Absenteeism: Almost half (46%) of parents said their children missed school for non-health/medical reasons last year once or twice, 14% three to five times and 11% of primary and 13% of secondary school parents said more than five times. Over half (55%) said the reason for doing so was holidays.
- Additional needs: 40% of all parents completing the survey said their child had some form of special educational need. More than half of primary (56%) and two thirds of secondary (63%) school parents with children who have special educational needs said their child only had some or none of the supports they need to engage fully in school. For those waiting for an assessment 44% of primary and 59% of secondary said they had been waiting for more than one year. For those who had been assessed 51% said they had been waiting for more than a year for actual support.
- Transitioning to School: One in five (18%) primary school parents said they thought their child was insufficiently prepared when transitioning into primary school, and one third (31%) of secondary school parents felt their children were insufficiently prepared when their children transitioned to secondary school.
Stephen Moffatt, Barnardos National Policy Manager said:
“School is a hugely protective factor for many children, especially for those experiencing disadvantage and adversity. Increased non-attendance and difficulties engaging due to a lack of supports presents immediate risks in terms of wellbeing and educational attainment as well as reducing future opportunities. Targeted supports at disadvantaged children and parents have been proven to increase school attendance. However, these measures need to be accompanied by increased investment in community-based services, such as Barnardos, that can work collaboratively with schools to address the underlying issues contributing to school anxiety and school refusal and avoidance.
“Barnardos witnesses the impact these issues have directly on children, their ability to engage fully in school and on their wider development and wellbeing, as well as on their wider family. It is a concern that vulnerable children and those living in disadvantaged communities are more likely to experience the issues outlined above.
“We frequently work with children and young people who are struggling with school refusal, often related to increased anxiety and parental adversities such as poor parental mental health, domestic violence or addiction. A significant proportion of families we work with report difficulties accessing the necessary assessments and supports for their children to help them engage fully with education.”
Recommendations
The children’s charity is calling on the Government to:
- Increase access to educational needs assessments
- Increase funding for community-based organisations to support children and their parents to provide practical and tailored support to enable children experiencing disadvantage attend and engage in school – supports which can address cost, routines, child anxiety, friendships, preparation for school, and relationships with schools.
- Continue to promote further sharing and implementation of best practice between schools on school avoidance and the national roll out of Anseo, an actionable tool kit for school attendance.
- Encourage promotion of child led measures in relation to transition difficulties.
Methodology
Each year, Barnardos undertakes an online survey of parents on their children returning to education in September. This year there was a specific focus on worries, concerns and difficulties parents and children face returning to and fully reengaging in school. A link to the survey is shared with the public and our supporters through various channels, primarily email and social media. This year the survey was live from the 7th to the 31st July inclusive. 704 responses were received, 455 primary school pupils and 249 secondary school students.
For further information, please contact:
Barnardos Press Office: 086 0445966
Instagram: @barnardos_irl
