The number of young people expelled and suspended from secondary schools has climbed significantly since the Covid-19 pandemic, new figures show.
Expulsions from second-level schools climbed from 55 to 85 between 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, an increase of more than 50 per cent.
Similarly, suspensions jumped by almost 70 per cent over the same period, up from 5,269 to 8,858.
The increased numbers follow the full reopening of schools after a period of closures during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
Despite the upward trajectory, the figures remain below pre-pandemic norms.
For example, at second level, the five-year average from 2014 to 2018 was 156 expulsions. Numbers fell to just 61 expulsions for 2019-2020, 55 for 2020-2021 and 85 for 2021-2022.
There was a similar trend with suspensions at second level.
The five-year average from 2014 to 2018-2019 was just over 12,599 for suspensions at second level. The number of suspensions dropped to 741 in 2019-2020, 701 in 2020-2021 but rose again to 979 in 2021-2022 for primary schools.
A report by Tusla, the child and family agency, indicates that a factor behind the lower numbers since schools reopened fully in 2021-2022 may be due to the large increase in school days lost due to transmission of Covid-19.
While schools remained open during that academic year, public-health rules around close contacts and isolating led to a record number of absences from school.
There is a similar pattern at primary level over recent years, although expulsions and suspensions are rarer.
In the school years of 2019-2020, 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, primary schools expelled 10, eight and seven students, respectively. The primary expulsions are below the five-year average of 27 before the pandemic.
Similarly, the number of suspensions at primary dropped to 741 in 2019-2020 and 701 in 2020-2021 but rose again to 979 in 2021-2022 for primary schools. These figures are still below the five-year average of just over 1,400 before the pandemic.
An analysis of the data indicates that suspensions and expulsions are, statistically, more likely in special schools and also in schools based in the most disadvantaged areas.
Children’s right campaigners welcomed the reduction but say expulsions and suspensions should be a measure of last resort.
Áine Lynch of the National Parents’ Council said expelling a child from a school, without exploring or addressing the underlying reasons, was not a child-centred approach.
“Behind every figure is a child. From a school perspective, trying to manage those situations can be difficult, but for a family, they still have to find a new school place. So, it’s almost saying to children, ‘this isn’t a problem for our school any more’,” she said.
“Behavioural problems, at the end of the day, are a child’s way of communicating ... We need wraparound services for students and schools, such as mental health supports. It is starting at primary but it also needs to be at second level.”
She also said there needs to be a much greater emphasis on finding the right setting for a child, before any expulsion, while a child is still in school.
“Otherwise, it turns into almost begging to find a place. We shouldn’t have a situation where parents are made to feel like that. School breakdown can happen for so many different reasons,” Ms Lynch added.
Dr Hannah McGinley, assistant professor in education at Mary Immaculate College, said targeted supports are needed for Traveller children, especially, who statistically are at higher risk of expulsion and suspension.
“I know some principals who would never expel a child; it’s against their philosophy and beliefs. Whereas others might expel too soon if they don’t understand what’s going on, especially if there are adverse childhood experiences or trauma. Is it ever fair for adults to turn their back on children?” said Dr McGinley, who is the third Traveller to receive a PhD qualification.
