School referral to Tusla - but only 14 days missed

Hannaho · 08-06-2019 9:07pm #1

I got a letter yesterday saying the school were referring my son to Tusla as he had missed over 20 days. He had been sick with 4 episodes of tonsilitis (now referred for tonsillectomy), 4 lots of antibiotics and a weekly with a severely sprained ankle, had to wear a special boot etc. On the school's VS Ware, it says he only missed 14 days - covered by the bouts of tonsilitis, damaged ankle etc. I checked the texts that we get from the school each time he is absent, and there are only 14 texts covering 14 days. Also, my son is transferring to another school nearer home for Sept. His Year Head in his current school, where he is supposed to have missed over 20 days, stated that he was in the top 5% students academically, and his attendance and punctuality was excellent. I emailed back the Vice Prinicipal with screen shots of VS Ware saying he had missed only 14 days, and also the 14 absence texts, but they are continuing with the referral to Tusla. The Vice Prinicipal never gave any explanation or said how many days she believed my son had missed, above the 14 on VS Ware/Texts. What can I do in this situation. I feel really annoyed. I feel, and my son also, that he is being targetted when I was assertive over an issue a couple of years ago. I know that they can't send incorrect/falsify information to Tulsa. Any ideas what to do would be appreciated.

happywithlife · 08-06-2019 9:14pm

Don't worry about it. Have your documemtation ready for Tulsa if/when they get in contact with you. Maybe there was an accumulation of partial absences along with the full day absences? Either way once Tulsa xan verify they were genuine medical issues that will be the end of it. Don't worry about it. School year has ended. Relax & enjoy the holidays

Hannaho · 08-06-2019 9:23pm

Hi! Thanks for your reply. Yes, there were some partial absences, as in doctor and dental appointments in afternoons - not that many, maybe about 4/5, as in leaving for appointments at 2.30 p.m. They didn't say partial absences counted, and the VS ware still states 14 days absence. Thanks for your reply. Will try to relax about it.

blueskys · 08-06-2019 9:34pm

Hannaho wrote: »

Hi! Thanks for your reply. Yes, there were some partial absences, as in doctor and dental appointments in afternoons - not that many, maybe about 4/5, as in leaving for appointments at 2.30 p.m. They didn't say partial absences counted, and the VS ware still states 14 days absence. Thanks for your reply. Will try to relax about it.

Just to say when school refers to tusla that doesn't mean social work its actually to the Educational welfare officer who will be in all likelihood fine with what you have said there, they are so busy with real absences that they'd hardly give you a second thought so I wouldn't be worried at all.

Hannaho · 08-06-2019 10:03pm

Thanks, Blue Sky. Actually, I've looked at the partial absences, and they are more than the actual absences! They were absences in afternoon, when he would text me saying he was feeling ill again, or had tooth pain, and I would say to leave and see if he could get an appointment at doctors on way home. I didn't know these counted, and I don't think he did either. HOWEVER, I have just challenged him, and he stated that he sent some emails from my email saying that I gave him permission to leave at 1.30/2.00 p.m. So lots of feathers flying and grounded for 2 weeks!!

happywithlife · 09-06-2019 8:25pm

Hannaho wrote: »

Thanks, Blue Sky. Actually, I've looked at the partial absences, and they are more than the actual absences! They were absences in afternoon, when he would text me saying he was feeling ill again, or had tooth pain, and I would say to leave and see if he could get an appointment at doctors on way home. I didn't know these counted, and I don't think he did either. HOWEVER, I have just challenged him, and he stated that he sent some emails from my email saying that I gave him permission to leave at 1.30/2.00 p.m. So lots of feathers flying and grounded for 2 weeks!!

That'll be it - it'll be the accumulation of all full & partial absences.
Another case of the little darling pulling the wool over the parent's eyes. At least you've discovered it before taking it to the school & being made look a liar or worse a fool. Hope it's a lesson learnt for him! (And change your email password asap lol). Kids !! You can't be up to them

happywithlife · 09-06-2019 8:29pm

Maybe ask with the new school what parental access they give to their vsware / whatever system they use. My daughter starts post primary next year and as a parent I'll be able to view her attendance record - presume you had the sane access in the old school. Might be no harm to let him know you're monitoring him next yr AND there'll be no leaving school for illness -- bar vomitting anything else he can stick it out till end of the day.

gordongekko · 09-06-2019 8:35pm

Under the education welfare act 2000 the school must report to Tusla once the child has missed 20 days or more in the school year

drunkmonkey · 09-06-2019 8:37pm

The year head is right you have a smart kid on your hands. He should be in trouble but you have to admire his initiative at the same time. Don't be too hard on him.

TheValeyard · 09-06-2019 8:43pm

gordongekko wrote: »

Under the education welfare act 2000 the school must report to Tusla once the child has missed 20 days or more in the school year

This.

Once 20 days or absences have been recorded the school must legally inform Tusla. There is zero wiggle room by management here, it's just something they must do.

But.....
Tusla, if they ever contact you, could be by the time your child is in college such is their backlog/ incompetence, etc..

I would not worry about it, if they do contact you, just show them doctors certs or valid reasons for absence and that is that.

zoe 3619 · 09-06-2019 8:50pm

Really don't worry about it.
There is a process the school have to go through,but it's not there to cause bother to people like yourself.
Very probable you'll here nothing more,but if you do you can just explain that medical issues were involved.

evolving_doors · 10-06-2019 8:15am

Tulsa have enough to be doing with genuinely neglected kids who mightnt have gone to school all year.
If school want to say he's absent for 20 and somebody contacts you just tell them that you're seeing less than 20 on vsware so they'd need to clarifywhat the official record is.

Sometimes a kid might be out and missing the whole 9 classes in a day, but what could happen is that a teacher might have forgotten to mark the roll and mistakenly marked them in later on.
This would go in as a partial absence for the whole day. So maybe check those partials and you might see that it would bring the total number over 20.

If a youngfella was clever and mitching he could get one of his mates to shout out 'here' when an unsuspecting teacher is gunning through the roll. The kid would just need 1 class to be marked in (preferably the 1st one of the day) to avoid being marked fully out. If they're marked in for the 1st then a text doesn't go home.

ANXIOUS · 14-06-2019 1:58pm

Hannaho wrote: »

Thanks, Blue Sky. Actually, I've looked at the partial absences, and they are more than the actual absences! They were absences in afternoon, when he would text me saying he was feeling ill again, or had tooth pain, and I would say to leave and see if he could get an appointment at doctors on way home. I didn't know these counted, and I don't think he did either. HOWEVER, I have just challenged him, and he stated that he sent some emails from my email saying that I gave him permission to leave at 1.30/2.00 p.m. So lots of feathers flying and grounded for 2 weeks!!

Great to see the system is working, if this hadn't of been flagged you'd never have found out about these instances.

BandMember · 14-06-2019 5:26pm

Hannaho wrote: »

Thanks, Blue Sky. Actually, I've looked at the partial absences, and they are more than the actual absences! They were absences in afternoon, when he would text me saying he was feeling ill again, or had tooth pain, and I would say to leave and see if he could get an appointment at doctors on way home. I didn't know these counted, and I don't think he did either. HOWEVER, I have just challenged him, and he stated that he sent some emails from my email saying that I gave him permission to leave at 1.30/2.00 p.m. So lots of feathers flying and grounded for 2 weeks!!

So, let's get this straight: here's a parent whose son admiited that they hacked into their e-mail and sent fake e-mails to the school and his punishment is to be grounded for two whole weeks while the parent still takes issue with the school???

Yeah, that'll teach him alright... It's no wonder so many people are of the opinion that next generation are f**ked.... :rolleyes:

Hannaho · 15-06-2019 9:53am

Sorry, I said I didn't realise he was sending emails to the school, and that partial absences, which outweighed absent days were the reason for the referral. Now I understand that there is no issue with the school. Please don't spill your bile and anger everywhere, just because you are having a bad day/time - no one needs that stuff on here - it's just all about helpful and insightful answers!

Valhallapt · 15-06-2019 10:11am

Is an automatic report they run in VSware each term, it gives a list of students the need to send a notice to TUSLA.

Nothing will come of it, it’ll be sent in along with hundreds of others, it’s coded as to the type of absence and TUSLA would only follow up if all 20 plus weren’t explained by the parents.

evolving_doors · 17-06-2019 8:16am

Valhallapt wrote: »

Is an automatic report they run in VSware each term, it gives a list of students the need to send a notice to TUSLA.

Nothing will come of it, it’ll be sent in along with hundreds of others, it’s coded as to the type of absence and TUSLA would only follow up if all 20 plus weren’t explained by the parents.

Are partials counted?

el Fenomeno · 17-06-2019 8:21am

Hannaho wrote: »

I checked the texts that we get from the school each time he is absent

Thank God there was no such technology when I was a youngster. I'd still be grounded with all the porkies I told my teachers.

Neyite · 17-06-2019 12:22pm

I was an expert at faking my dad's signature and handwriting. Luckily I was also a terrible wuss so only bunked off a couple of times.

Still, now that you know he was able to get into your email and send it on your behalf it's worth mentioning it to the school. I'm sure lots of parents let their kids have passcodes to devices that the adult's email account is open on and no harm for schools to see if there's a better way of absence confirmation with parents.

Valhallapt · 17-06-2019 2:41pm

evolving_doors wrote: »

Are partials counted?

T
It’s not explicitly defined by TUSLA how to handle this, different schools do it differently. Most schools run an AM and PM registration, missing a PM one and an AM later in the week counts as one days absence for many schools.

School referral to Tusla - but only 14 days missed

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