6-8 The Frequent Absence Rule - examples
Introduction
This section illustrates how the Frequent Absence Rule can be applied in the three different situations outlined in Section 6-7.
These are not the only situations where the Frequent Absence Rule should be applied.
If you are unsure
Please contact your Ministry local office or the Resourcing Contact Centre if you are unsure whether you are applying the Frequent Absence Rule correctly.
Example 1 – Absence on a particular day
Kristen is enrolled to attend an early childhood service five days a week.
Example key
Use this key to understand the letters used in this example:
| n/e |
Days the child was not enrolled to attend |
| e |
Days the child was enrolled to attend |
| Y |
Days the child attended their normal enrolled hours |
| a |
Days the child was enrolled to attend and was absent |
Below is the August attendance register for Kristen:
|
M |
T |
W |
Th |
F |
S |
S |
| Week One |
Y |
Y |
Y |
a |
a |
n/e |
n/e |
| Week Two |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
n/e |
n/e |
| Week Three |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
a |
n/e |
n/e |
| Week Four |
Y |
Y |
Y |
a |
a |
n/e |
n/e |
| The Frequent Absence problem is... |
The early childhood service must... |
Funding may be claimed for... |
Funding may not be claimed for... |
| Kristen was absent for more than half of the Fridays in August. |
Monitor Kristen’s attendance in September and
If Kristen is absent for more than half of the Fridays in September, her enrolment agreement will need to be reconfirmed at the end of September.
|
- Kristen’s enrolled hours in August and September and
- Kristen’s enrolled hours in October IF
- her attendance pattern returns to normal in October or
- Kristen’s enrolment agreement is changed or reconfirmed
|
Kristen’s Friday absences in October if she continued to be absent for more than half of the Fridays in September and her enrolment agreement is not reconfirmed or changed. |
Example 2 – Fewer hours per day
Sione is enrolled to attend an early childhood centre for four hours a day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Example key
Use the key below to understand the letters used in this example:
| n/e |
Days the child was not enrolled to attend. |
| e |
Days the child was enrolled to attend. |
| Y |
Days the child attended his or her normal enrolled hours. |
| f/e |
Days the child attended fewer hours than enrolled (and the number or hours the child attended). |
| f/m |
Days in the previous or following month |
Below are the number of hours Sione attended each day during November:
|
M |
T |
W |
Th |
F |
S |
S |
| Week 1 |
0 |
n/e |
Y |
n/e |
Y |
n/e |
n/e |
| Week 2 |
3 |
n/e |
3 |
n/e |
2.5 |
n/e |
n/e |
| Week 3 |
4 |
n/e |
3 |
n/e |
3 |
n/e |
n/e |
| Week 4 |
3 |
n/e |
4 |
n/e |
4 |
n/e |
n/e |
| Week 5 |
2.5 |
n/e |
3 |
n/e |
f/m |
f/m |
f/m |
| The Frequent Absence problem is... |
The early childhood service must... |
Funding may be claimed for... |
Funding may not be claimed for... |
Sione has attended for fewer than 4 hours per day on more than half of his enrolled days in November
|
Monitor Sione’s attendance in December and
if Sione attends for fewer than 4 hours on more than half of his enrolled days in December, Sione’s enrolment agreement will need to be reconfirmed at the end of December.
|
Sione’s enrolled hours in November and December and Sione’s enrolled hours in January if
- his attendance pattern returns to normal in December or
- his enrolment agreement is reconfirmed or changed.
|
The hours Sione was absent in January if he continued to attend for less than 4 hours per enrolled day on more than half of his enrolled days in December and his enrolment agreement is not reconfirmed or changed.
|
Example 3 – Fewer days per week
Vijay is enrolled to attend an early childhood centre for five days a week.
Example key
Use the key below to understand the letters used in this example:
| n/e |
Days the child was not enrolled to attend. |
| e |
Days the child was enrolled to attend. |
| Y |
Days the child attended their normal enrolled hours. |
| a |
Days the child was absent |
| f/m |
Days in the following month |
Below is the February attendance register for Vijay:
|
M |
T |
W |
Th |
F |
S |
S |
| Week 1 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
a |
a |
n/e |
n/e |
| Week 2 |
a |
a |
3 |
Y |
Y |
n/e |
n/e |
| Week 3 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
a |
a |
n/e |
n/e |
| Week 4 |
a |
a |
Y |
Y |
Y |
n/e |
n/e |
| Week 5 |
Y |
Y |
f/m |
f/m |
f/m |
f/m |
f/m |
| The Frequent Absence problem is... |
The early childhood service must... |
Funding may be claimed for... |
Funding may not be claimed for... |
Vijay has attended for fewer than five days a week in more than half of the weeks in February.
|
Monitor Vijay’s attendance in March and if Vijay does not attend for five days a week for more than half of the weeks in March, his enrolment agreement will need to be reconfirmed at the end of March.
|
Vijay’s enrolled hours in February and March and Vijay’s enrolled hours in April if
- his attendance pattern returned to normal in March or
- his enrolment agreement is reconfirmed or changed.
|
Vijay’s absences in April if he continues to attend less than five days a week for more than half of the weeks in March and his enrolment agreement is not reconfirmed or changed. |