Back to School
Every year, hundreds of thousands of children across Ireland prepare to start or return to school. For many families, the back to school period is an exciting milestone, bringing opportunities for learning, friendship and personal development.
However, Barnardos Ireland’s annual Back to School Survey highlights that for many children and parents, the return to the classroom can also be a time of significant concern. Financial pressures, educational needs, wellbeing challenges and access to supports can all impact a child’s ability to fully engage in school life and reach their potential.
As the summer holidays draw to a close, these concerns can lead to increased stress and anxiety for families across Ireland, making the transition back to school more challenging than it should be.
Key findings 2026
School Avoidance: Over one fifth of primary school parents said their children were refusing or avoiding going to school at least once a month.
“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.”
The Barnardos Ireland Back to School survey 2026, examined 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 struggles to engage due to additional needs and insufficient supports.
Key findings 2026
School Avoidance: Over one fifth of primary school parents said their children were refusing or avoiding going to school at least once a month.
Barnardos Recommendations
Addressing these issues, through additional supports and rolling out existing best practice would make a considerable difference to the lives of thousands of individual children across the country and help combat educational disadvantage more widely.
Increase access to educational needs assessments
Increase funding for community-based organisations
Share best practice on school avoidance & expand access to Anseo
Promote child led measures in relation to transition difficulties.
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.