A groundbreaking study by Public First has unveiled a significant breakdown in parental attitudes toward full-time school attendance, with researchers highlighting a sharp increase in overall absence and persistent absence among pupils since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic. The study, the first of its kind, involved conducting focus group discussions with parents from diverse backgrounds across the country to explore the driving forces behind this sudden decline in school attendance.

The findings of this research have raised serious concerns about the perceived importance of education among parents, as the study reveals that parents no longer consider it their responsibility to ensure their children attend school daily. The concept that every day in school holds significance appears to have been largely abandoned by both mothers and fathers.

According to the study, overall absence has surged by over 50 percent since 2019, with persistent absence, defined as pupils missing 10 percent or more of lessons, more than doubling. Researchers assert that parents’ attitudes underwent an unprecedented shift during the pandemic, particularly due to school closures and disruptions.

The study identified several factors contributing to the decline in school attendance, including:

1. **Increased Willingness for Term-Time Holidays:** Parents are now more inclined to take their children on holidays during termtime, with this practice becoming socially acceptable across all socioeconomic groups.

2. **Rise in Youth Mental Health Problems:** The mental health crisis among young people is identified as a significant compounding issue related to attendance.

3. **Cost of Living Crisis:** The ongoing cost-of-living crisis has pushed more families into poverty, serving as an underlying driver of poor attendance among lower and no-income groups.

Notably, the research did not find evidence to support the notion that parents working from home was a key driver of the attendance crisis. Moreover, it concluded that the imposition of fines for significant absence was both unpopular and counterproductive.

The study’s report presents ten key findings, which include the seismic shift in parental attitudes triggered by COVID-19, the breakdown in the school-parent relationship across socioeconomic backgrounds, and the compounding impact of the youth mental health crisis on attendance.

In response to these findings, the report also provides eight key recommendations, such as a review of communication strategies between schools and parents, potential reconsideration of fines for absence, and improved accuracy of school-level attendance monitoring systems.