Exploring the Educational Context Surrounding the School Attendance Problems of Children Seeking Mental Health Services

School attendance problems experienced by children are a concern across Canadian educational systems. Higher rates of attendance issues exist among children who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties, which places them at heightened risk for poor educational outcomes. Frequently explored...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Klan, Amy
Other Authors: Whitley, Jessica
Format: Others
Language:en
Published: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10393/41168
http://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-25392
Description
Summary:School attendance problems experienced by children are a concern across Canadian educational systems. Higher rates of attendance issues exist among children who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties, which places them at heightened risk for poor educational outcomes. Frequently explored in educational research are variables related to school attendance problems among the general child population, however, a shortage of literature exists that explores these elements among children with emotional and behavioral difficulties. To address this void, this mixed-methods study explored child and educational elements that surrounded the school attendance problems of a sample of children receiving mental health services at a community clinic. Together, analyses of data gathered from the CANS, SDQ, and client files indicated that dynamic and reciprocal relationships existed among children’s emotional, behavioural, social, and academic difficulties which contributed to their attendance and overall educational experiences. These results corroborate existing research related to school attendance problems, however, provide unique insights into the profiles of this particular population and how their needs can be better met to promote more positive school experiences.