Working alongside schools and kura.
Strong relationships with schools are central to identifying and supporting young people experiencing significant absence from education. We do not replace existing school attendance processes. Instead, we work in partnership with schools to strengthen what is already in place and provide additional, wrap-around support where needs are complex.
Our approach is guided by the Te Ako Manaaki Framework, with a focus on trust, shared responsibility, and practical, collaborative responses that support positive and sustainable outcomes for young people and their whānau.
Our Criteria for Referral:
6 – 16 Years Old
Young people aged 6–16 who may be enrolled in primary, intermediate, or secondary school or kura within one of our four catchment areas.
Significant Absence
There is an established or emerging pattern of absence or non-enrolment and the school requires additional support to address attendance concerns.
Formal Referral
A formal referral through the Ministry of Education is legally required before we can provide support. Referrals must be submitted through the MOE AS-CMS online portal.
Referring a Student:
We can support your school to navigate the new MOE Attendance Service CMS software.
Once we receive your referral our process is:
School Makes Referral
Using the MOE Attendance Service CMS online portal, Schools make a referral of a young person to the Attendance Service,
Confirmation
Within a target of 24 hours our Team will be in touch within 24 hours to acknowledge, outline the next steps, assign a Case Manager, and request any additional information if needed.
Triaging Case
Within a target of five working days, the assigned Case Manager will contact the school and whānau to begin building an understanding of the circumstances, identify where support may be needed and create next steps.
Hui
Case Managers work alongside schools and whānau to create a clear pathway forward for each young person. Where needed, hui are held with other services and government agencies to coordinate support
Continued Support
Our team, including Education Mentors, will continue to provide ongoing, relationship-based support to follow through on decisions made in hui and the pathways agreed, for as long as it is helpful in supporting the young person to re-engage in education.