Jess Whitley, holder of the University Research Chair on Inclusion, Mental Health and School Attendance, uses an interdisciplinary approach to explore the complex problem of absenteeism with the aim of finding collaborative, whole-community solutions.

“Schools are where all students, including those with disabilities, can receive the supports and services necessary to thrive academically, engage with diverse cultural and social contexts, be exposed to new ideas, gain new skills and experience belonging. Children experiencing chronic absenteeism are deprived of these opportunities,” says Whitley.

Community partnerships are at the heart of Whitley's research program. Under her co-leadership with Dr. Maria Rogers (Carleton University) and Dr. David Smith (University of Ottawa), the Faculty of Education began an outreach program with the Crossroad's Children's Mental Health Centre (CCMHC) to better understand the complex causes of absenteeism among young students in the Ottawa region. In a collaboration formalized in 2019, a research plan co-created with the CCMHC was put in motion to deepen insights about absenteeism by looking into children's lived experiences, family dynamics, and anxiety related to school bullying. This project is part of a broader portfolio of the Chairholder's work on child and youth mental health and well-being.