BACKGROUND

Regular school attendance is a key determinant of academic success, healthy development, and long-term outcomes (Whitley, 2024; Kearney et al., 2023; Alison et al., 2019). Within the framework of the Ontario Public Health Standards, absenteeism reflects broader population health and equity concerns, as it is shaped by the same social and structural conditions that influence overall well-being and chronic disease risk over the life course. Absenteeism is a complex, system-level issue influenced by factors such as physical illness, mental health challenges, family circumstances, and barriers like access to care and transportation. It also limits access to school-based supports and disproportionately affects students experiencing inequities (Smith et al., 2022). These linkages are further reinforced by Ontario’s Putting Students First Act, 2026 (Bill 101), which highlights the importance of student achievement and well-being, positioning regular attendance as a critical foundation for equitable learning and long-term success.

In Windsor-Essex, school-based absenteeism has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic and is now a significant public health concern. Local data from 3,197 parents and caregivers of students who missed six or more instructional days between September and November 2025 identified the following key contributors to absences:

• 80% reported physical illness or injury, including minor illnesses, chronic conditions, and medical appointments
• 37% reported personal or family-related reasons, such as travel, caregiving responsibilities, and household circumstances
• 23% reported mental health-related factors, including anxiety, depression, feeling overwhelmed, and experiences of bullying

Across all absence types, common underlying themes included access to health care, family stressors, mental health needs, school climate, and structural barriers such as transportation and scheduling challenges. In this context, school climate refers to the overall quality and character of the school environment, including students’ sense of safety, belonging, inclusion, relationships with peers and staff, and the extent to which the school feels welcoming, supportive, and responsive to diverse needs. These findings show that absenteeism can signal broader health, social, and equity challenges affecting children and youth. They also suggest that these issues are driven more by system-level factors than by individual behaviour alone.

These findings highlight the importance of coordinated, cross-sector efforts to address the root causes of absenteeism through collaborative, equity-focused approaches. Provincial frameworks provide a helpful foundation, and local partners are well positioned to build on this work by aligning efforts, strengthening partnerships, and prioritizing integrated supports that address health, social, and structural barriers to attendance. The WECHU Strategic Plan reinforces this direction by emphasizing partnerships to address these interconnected issues (Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, 2026; Ontario Ministry of Education, 2024; Ontario Ministry of Health, 2021). Continued action in this area may help improve student attendance and well-being, while also reducing the risk of widening of inequities and added pressure on health and social systems.

PROPOSED MOTION

Whereas, regular school attendance is an important indicator of student well-being, academic success, and long-term health outcomes; and

Whereas, chronic absenteeism is a complex public health and equity issue shaped by interconnected physical health, mental health, family, and structural factors, including broader social and system-level barriers that affect students’ ability to attend school regularly; and

Whereas, local data demonstrate that leading contributors to absenteeism include physical illness, mental health challenges, and barriers such as access to care, transportation, and school climate, including whether school environments are experienced as safe, welcoming, inclusive, and supportive; and

Now therefore be it resolved that, the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health encourages system partners supporting school-aged children to implement evidence-informed approaches to early identification and intervention, including improved access to integrated health, mental health, and social supports for students and families; and

Be it further resolved that, the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health calls on the provincial government to support enhanced, sustainable investment in school-based mental health services, including increased access to counselling and child and youth workers, comprehensive bullying prevention, and school-wide approaches such as social-emotional learning, inclusive and culturally responsive practices that help create safe, welcoming, and mentally healthy learning environments; and

Be it further resolved that, the Windsor‑Essex County Board of Health encourages local municipalities and school partners to work collaboratively in developing responsive and innovative transportation strategies that support student attendance including expanded eligibility for school transportation, subsidized student transit, and the integration of attendance considerations into transportation planning;

Be it further resolved that, the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health calls on municipal, provincial, and federal governments to advance primordial prevention approaches, meaning action taken upstream to prevent risks from emerging in the first place, by addressing the social, economic, and environmental conditions contributing to school-based absenteeism, including poverty reduction, food security, affordable housing, equitable access to primary and mental health care, safe transportation, and inclusive community and school environments that support child and youth well-being before attendance problems emerge; and

And be it further resolved that, the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health endorses continued cross-sector collaboration among public health, school boards, healthcare providers, municipalities, and community organizations to share and collect local data to inform local strategies to address health, social, and structural barriers to attendance.

References

• Allison, M. A., Attisha, E., & Council on School Health. (2019). The link between school attendance and good health. Pediatrics, 143(2), e20183648. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-3648
• Kearney, C. A., Dupont, R., Fensken, M., & Gonzálvez, C. (2023). School attendance problems and absenteeism as early warning signals: Review and implications for health-based protocols and school-based practices. Frontiers in Education, 8, 1253595. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1253595
• Ontario Ministry of Education. (2024). Policy/Program Memorandum No. 171: Attendance Support Programs (ASP). https://www.ontario.ca/document/education-ontario-policy-and-program-direction/policyprogram-memorandum-171
• Ontario Ministry of Health. (2021). Ontario public health standards: Requirements for programs, services, and accountability. Government of Ontario. https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-public-health-standards-requirements-programs-services-and-accountability 
• Smith, J.D., Mokhtarian, N., Whitley, J., Rogers, M., McBrearty, N. (2022). Roll call: A scoping review of research pertaining to school attendance problems.https://www.jesswhitley.ca/_files/ugd/25af4d_c40f3e0c044944d3962241d7f91a0275.pdf
• Whitley, J. (2024). School absenteeism in Canada: Causes, challenges, and collaborative solutions. EdCan Network. https://www.edcan.ca/articles/school-absenteeism-in-canada-causes-challenges-and-collaborative-solutions/
• Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. (2026). Strategic Plan 2026-2030. https://www.wechu.org/strategic-plan