School Attendance is Everybody's Business - Dr Lisa Mckay-Brown

School attendance is one of the biggest challenges facing schools today; but why do students stop attending, and what can schools actually do to help?In this episode of Behavioural Deep Dive, I sit down with Associate Professor Lisa McKay-Brown, teacher and leading researcher in school attendance, to unpack the growing issue of school attendance problems and the practical, evidence-informed strategies schools can use to improve outcomes.Together, we explore the different types of school attendance problems, the early warning signs of school avoidance, and why understanding why a student is absent is far more important than simply recording that they are.Lisa also explains how schools can apply a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) to attendance, including universal prevention, early intervention, targeted supports, effective partnerships with families, and data-based decision making. Throughout the conversation, she challenges schools to shift from an accountability mindset towards one of continuous improvement, where attendance truly becomes everybody's business.Whether you're a teacher, school leader, behaviour consultant, wellbeing practitioner or educational psychologist, this episode is packed with practical insights that can help schools better support student engagement and attendance.Topics covered:• School attendance and school avoidance• The four types of attendance problems• Early identification and prevention• Applying MTSS to attendance• Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports• Partnering effectively with families• Data-based decision making• Building whole-school attendance systemsIf you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to like, subscribe, and share it with a colleague who is passionate about improving outcomes for students.For full show notes, click here.