‘She didn't know how to go back’: School attendance problems in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic—A multiple stakeholder qualitative study with parents and professionals

BACKGROUND: The COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in school closures worldwide and unexcused absences have increased since schools reopened. AIMS: Drawing on multiple stakeholders' perspectives, we aimed to (i) develop a detailed understanding of how school attendance problems (SAPs) have manifested for primary school‐aged children in the context of COVID‐19; and (ii) identify promising community‐based intervention strategies. METHODS: We used a qualitative design with two sequential phases of data collection. Phase 1 involved insight generation using qualitative surveys with parents and professionals working in primary education settings. These results were used to guide in‐depth stakeholder interviews in Phase 2. SAMPLE: Phase 1 included 29 parents of primary‐school children experiencing SAPs and 19 professionals. Phase 2 included 10 parents and 12 professionals. Parents were recruited through social media; professionals were identified through schools and associated networks in Southern England. RESULTS: Attendance was particularly challenging for children with special educational needs and pre‐existing anxiety problems. Compounding factors included COVID‐related anxiety, difficulties adapting to new school routines, poor home‐school communication and collaboration, and concerns about academic catch‐up. Effective support was characterized by schools and families working closely together. Recommendations for practice improvements centred on early intervention, re‐building parent‐school relationships, peer support for parents, and improving special educational provision. CONCLUSION: New interventions for SAPs must be sensitive to the ongoing COVID‐19 context. Help should be easily accessible in the community and address modifiable risk and protective factors for individual children, in family systems, and at the home‐school interface.