07 April 2003
NEWB Appoints 23 Staff

The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) the body with responsibility for encouraging and supporting school attendance, today announced the appointment of 23 Educational Welfare Officers (EWO's).

These first EWOs will be located in Dublin as well as Cork and Waterford.

This is the start of a process which will see up to 300 Educational Welfare Officers working throughout the country when the service is fully developed. Up to 90 EWO's will be in place by the end of this year. Areas of most need and urgent cases will receive priority in 2003. Up to now there were a total of 37 school attendance officers.

"The EWO's will focus first on the welfare of children," explained Eddie Ward, Chief Executive. "Up to now, the emphasis was on prosecution in cases of prolonged or consistent absenteeism. The aim now is to concentrate on the reasons behind a child's absence from school so that related problems or issues can be dealt with before absenteeism reaches crisis point".

The National Educational Welfare Board was established under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000. It was set up in July 2002. The Education (Welfare) Act repealed legislation, which was over 75 years old.

For more information contact: Edel Hackett, Tel: 087-2935207/098-50218.