Attendance 

Over the next few weeks, we will be providing some tips and ideas from the Department of Education for supporting student attendance. Setting up good attendance patterns can lead to future success and can help students feel more engaged and connected at school.

Extracurricular Activities, Social Connections & Part-Time Work

• Encourage meaningful extracurricular activities that your child enjoys, such as sports and clubs, to develop positive relationships and experience success outside of a classroom setting. These activities can help your child feel part of the group, important to the school, and more motivated
• For teens, try to be aware of your child’s social contacts. Peer influence can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated
• Set clear parameters around part-time work. Make sure that the hours your teenager is working do not impact on their ability to go to school the next day or interfere with school assessment expectations or exam preparation. Most schools recommend no more than 10 hours per week.

USEFUL WEBSITES/CONTACTS

• Department of Education and Training - https://www.vic.gov.au/attendance-and-missing-school 
• Kids Matter - www.kidsmatter.edu.au  
• Youth Beyond Blue - www.youthbeyondblue.com.au 
• Headspace - www.headspace.org.au 
• Reach Out – www.reachout.com 
• Raising Children Network - www.raisingchildren.net.au  
• Kids helpline - 1800 55 1800 24 hours a day, seven days a week or web counselling 
• Parentline – 1300 30 1300 (8:00am to 10:00pm seven days a week) & web counselling Tuesdays and Thursdays between 11:00am and 2:00pm