Early identification of school attendance problems: How helpful are Dutch laws, policies, and protocols?
Early identification of school attendance problems: How helpful are Dutch laws, policies, and protocols?
Main Article Content
Abstract
The identification of emerging school attendance problems (SAPs) is highly important. Early identification permits early intervention, which reduces the likelihood of SAPs becoming established and contributing to additional problems. In the short term, SAPs can contribute to academic and social-emotional problems for the young person and stress for the family, and they place extra demands upon school resources. In the longer-term, SAPs can lead to school drop-out which contributes to problems for the community at large. Local, national, and international efforts aimed at the identification of emerging SAPs are thus a priority. This paper commences with a review of national laws and policies in the Netherlands that have a bearing on the identification of SAPs. Two Dutch protocols relevant to the identification of SAPs are also considered. Thereafter, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Dutch laws, policies, and protocols, paying particular attention to the question of whether they satisfactorily stimulate early identification of SAPs. The paper concludes with recommendations about ways to improve early identification in the Netherlands. These recommendations can stimulate thinking among educational professionals and policy-makers in other countries.
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266-271. doi: 10.1080/13504851.2014.937031
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school. School Psychology International, 31(2), 115–130.
doi: 10.1177/0143034310361674
De Vries, L., & Richelle, M. (2016). Aansluiting primair onderwijs op het verzuimregister.
[Connecting primary education to the digital absenteeism registration program].
Presentation, the Netherlands.
Hancock, K.J., Shepherd, C.C.J., Lawrence, D., & Zubrick, S.R. (2013). Student attendance and
educational outcomes: Every day counts. Canberra: Department of Education,
Employment and Workplace Relations.
Havik, T., Bru, E., & Ertesvåg, S.K. (2015). Assessing reasons for school non-attendance.
Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 59, 316–336.
doi: 10.1080/00313831.2014.904424
Heyne, D. (2019). Developments in classification, identification, and intervention for school
refusal and other attendance problems: Introduction to the special series. Cognitive and
Behavioral Practice, 26, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2018.12.003
Heyne, D., Gren-Landell, M., Melvin, G., & Gentle-Genitty, C. (2019). Differentiation between
school attendance problems: Why and how? Cognitive and Behavioral Practice.
doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2018.03.006
Heyne, D.A., Sauter, F.M., & Maynard, B.R. (2015). Moderators and mediators of treatments
for youth with school refusal or truancy. In M. Maric, P. J. M. Prins, & T. H. Ollendick
(Eds.), Moderators and mediators of youth treatment outcomes (pp.230-266). Oxford:
Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/med:psych/9780199360345.003.0010
Heyne, D., Vreeke, L.J., Maric, M., Boelens, D., & Van Widenfelt, B.M. (2017). Functional
assessment of school attendance problems: An adapted version of the School Refusal
Assessment Scale – Revised. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 25,
178–192. doi: 10.1177/1063426616661701
Ingrado (n.d.). Wat is RMC? Retrieved January 9, 2019, from
https://www.ingrado.nl/onderwerp/wat_is_rmc
Ingrado, Stichting Halt, het Openbaar Ministerie, & de Raad voor de Kinderbescherming. (2017).
Methodische Aanpak Schoolverzuim (MAS) [Methodical Approach to School Absenteeism]
(2018 ed.). Utrecht: Author.
Ingul, J.M., Havik, T., & Heyne, D. (2019). Emerging school refusal: A school-based framework
for identifying early signs and risk factors. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice.
doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2018.03.005
Kearney, C.A. (2003). Bridging the gap among professionals who address youths with school
absenteeism: Overview and suggestions for consensus. Professional Psychology: Research
and Practice, 34, 57–65. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.34.1.57
Kearney, C. A. (2016). Managing school absenteeism at multiple tiers. An evidence-based and
practical guide for professionals. New York: Oxford University Press.
doi: 10.1093/med:psych/9780199985296.001.0001
Kearney, C.A., & Bensaheb, A. (2006). School absenteeism and school refusal behavior: A review
and suggestions for school-based health professionals. Journal of School Health, 76(1),
3-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2006.00060.x
Kearney, C.A., & Graczyk, P. (2014). A response to intervention model to promote school
attendance and decrease school absenteeism. Child and Youth Care Forum, 43(1), 1-25.
doi: 10.1007/s10566-013-9222-1
Kearney, C.A., & Silverman, W.K. (1990). A preliminary analysis of a functional model of
assessment and treatment for school refusal behavior. Behavior Modification, 14, 366.
doi: 10.1177/01454455900143007
Lenzen, C., Fischer, G., Jentzsch, A., Kaess, M., Parzer, P., Carli, V., ... Brunner, R. (2013).
Schulabsentismus in Deutschland - Die Prävalenz von entschuldigten und
unentschuldigten Fehlzeiten und ihre Korrelation mit emotionalen und
Verhaltensauffälligkeiten [School absenteeism in Germany: Prevalence of excused and
unexcused absenteeism and its correlation with emotional and behavioural problems].
Praxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie, 62(8), 570–582.
doi: 10.13109/prkk.2013.62.8.570
Malcolm, H., Wilson, V., Davidson, J., & Kirk, S. (2003). Absence from school: A study of its
causes and effects in seven LEAs. (Department for Education and Skills Research Report
RR424). Sherwood Park, UK: National Foundation for Educational Research. Nederlands
Jeugdinstituut (n.d.). Wet passend onderwijs Retrieved January 12, 2019, from
https://www.nji.nl/nl/Kennis/Dossier/Onderwijszorgarrangementen/Wet-en-regelgeving/
Wet-passend-onderwijs
Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap (2019). Stand van zaken thuiszitters [Letter of
government] Retrieved February 28, 2019, from
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/kamerstukken/2019/02/15/kamerbrief-stand-van
-zaken-thuiszitters
Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap. (n.d.-a). Definitie verzuimers Retrieved January
10, 2019, from https://www.onderwijsinspectie.nl/onderwijssectoren/toezicht-opsamenwerkingsverbanden-passend-onderwijs/thuiszittersregistratie/definitie-verzuimers
Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap. (n.d.-b). Leerplicht en
Kwalificatieplicht Retrieved January 10, 2019, from
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/leerplicht/leerplicht-en-kwalificatieplicht
Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap. (n.d.-c). Maatwerk in onderwijstijd
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Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap. (n.d.-d). Overzicht aantal uren Onderwijstijd
Retrieved January 10, 2019, from https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/schooltijdenen-onderwijstijd/overzicht-aantal-uren-onderwijstijd
Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap. (n.d.-e). Registreren en melden van
ongeoorloofd verzuim Retrieved January 15, 2019, from
https://www.onderwijsinspectie.nl/onderwerpen/registreren-en-melden-van-ongeoorloofdverzuim
Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap. (n.d.-f). Thuiszittersregistratie Retrieved
January 10, 2019, from https://www.onderwijsinspectie.nl/onderwijssectoren/toezicht-opsamenwerkingsverbanden-passend-onderwijs/thuiszittersregistratie
Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap, Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Ministerie
van Veiligheid en Justitie, PO-Raad, VO-Raad, & VNG (2016). Thuiszitterspact Retrieved
January 10, 2019, from https://vng.nl/onderwerpenindex/onderwijs/vsvleerplichtwet/
publicaties/thuiszitterspact
Prinsen, B., Steinbuch-Linstra, I., & Krähe, A.J. (2015). Investeren in opvoeden en opgroeien
loont! [Investing in bringing up and growing up pays off!]. JGZ Tijdschrift voor
Jeugdgezondheidszorg, 47(1), 6-9. doi: 10.1007/s12452015-0003-0
Reid, K. (2014). Managing school attendance: Successful intervention for reducing truancy.
London: Routledge.
Skedgell, K., & Kearney, C.A. (2018). Predictors of school absenteeism severity at multiple levels:
A classification and regression tree analysis. Children and Youth Services Review, 86, 236-
245. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.01.043
Slob, A., & De Jonge, H. (2018, November 23). Kamerbrief over onderwijs en zorg [Letter of
government] Retrieved from https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten
/kamerstukken/2018/11/23/kamerbrief-over-onderwijs-en-zorg
Tonge, B. J., & Silverman, W. K. (2019). Reflections on the field of school attendance problems:
For the times they are a-changing? Cognitive and Behavioral Practice.
doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2018.12.004
Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal. (1992). Wijziging van de Leerplichtwet 1969 en enkele
andere wetten Retrieved January 9, 2019, from
http://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=sgd%3Ampeg21%3A19921993%3A0005960
Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal. (2010). Wijziging van de Leerplichtwet 1969, de Wet educatie
en beroepsonderwijs, de Wet op de expertisecentra, de Wet op het primair onderwijs, de
Wet studiefinanciering 2000, de Wet tegemoetkoming onderwijsbijdrage en schoolkosten
en de Wet op het voortgezet onderwijs in verband met het treffen van diverse maatregelen
ten behoeve van het bestrijden van verzuim en voortijdig schoolverlaten Retrieved January
9, 2019, from https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-32356-3.html
Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal. (2015). Plan van scholen Retrieved January 15, 2019, from
https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-31135-58.html
Vanneste, Y. (2014). Een integrale aanpak van ziekteverzuim volgens M@ZL ophet voortgezet
onderwijs. Handboek voor JGZ-instellingen [An integrated approach for absenteeism due
to illness based on M@ZL in secondary education. Manual for ‘Youth Health Care’
services]. Breda: GGD West-Brabant.
Vanneste, Y.T.M., Mathijssen, J.J.P., Van de Goor I.A.M., Rots-De Vries, C.M.C., & Feron, F.J.
M. (2016). Addressing medical absenteeism in pre-vocational secondary students:
Effectiveness of a public health intervention, using a quasi-experimental design. BMC
Public Health, 16(1):1107. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3718-1
Williams, H.D. (1927). Truancy and delinquency. Journal of Applied Psychology, 11, 276–288.
doi: 10.1037/h0073589