Supporting educational success is in itself an effective public health intervention. Children who are doing well in school are less likely to engage in risky behaviors as they age. Recognizing this significant connection, the Boston Public Health Commission embarked on an effort to assist families with truant elementary students reconnect with their schools. "Connecting Families to Schools" provides social work home visiting to students and their families that are identified by Boston Public Schools as having six or more absences in the current marking period. The model takes its theoretical framework from the model of nurse home visiting employed with pregnant and peri-natal high risk women. Social workers strive to ameliorate the child's school attendance by supporting connections between the family and school personnel through teacher contact and parent conferences, and providing needed assistance through referrals. To date, over 34 families and 45 students have received services and 82% of children have improved their absenteeism. Enrollment demonstrates the multi-cultural nature of the Boston schools population: 66% Black, 23% Latino, 9% White, and 2% Haitian. Multiple problems contributing to truancy include: families' perception of the problem, homelessness, lack of transportation, illness of the child (asthma), illness of the parent (mental illness such as depression) and illness of siblings. This innovative collaboration between education and health is working. Truancy provides a marker for families in need but still intact. Thus, "Connecting Families to Schools" provides a unique opportunity to promote family stabilization and in turn supports academic achievement.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, participants will 1. Understand the relationship between truancy at the elementary level and other public health issues 2. Describe an intervention that supports academic success through a home-visiting public health model 3. Identify three key factors associated with elementary school truancy.
Keywords: School Health, Children
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.