How the attendance service works#

The attendance service works with students who are enrolled in school but have not been attending. Schools can contact the service for help with managing attendance and reducing unjustified absence.

We contract providers across the country to deliver this service.

How to access attendance services until December 2025#

You should make a referral to our attendance service application if:

• a student has been absent without an explanation and
• you have not been successful getting them back to school.

Use our attendance service application to make a referral.

How to Log in to ASA – Applications and Online Systems

Referrals go straight to a service provider who will allocate the referral to a kaiawhina | attendance advisor.

Map of attendance services 2024

Changes to attendance services from January 2026#

New attendance services will be in place from January 2026. The new attendance services model will support up to around 80,000 students per year. The new model includes:

• a comprehensive attendance service for chronically absent and non-enrolled students, with 1 provider in each of 84 catchments
• funding for 170 schools to provide extra support to some of their chronically absent students – this is called in-school provision.

We will share guidance information on the new service early in 2026.

Map of attendance service providers from 1 January 2026#

See below for a map of all the catchments in the new attendance service and their providers.

Attendance services – Google maps

What schools can expect from the start of Term 1 2026#

• Information about the new attendance service and what’s changed.
• Access to a new attendance service case management system designed to make it easier for you to refer students to an attendance service provider.
• Access to an e-learn module and guidance materials to assist you with any questions about the new attendance service and the new attendance service case management system.

What schools can do to prepare#

Note: the last date for referrals this year is 12 December 2025.

• The last day to make student referrals into the attendance service is close of business Friday 12 December 2025. This is to enable us to migrate data to the new case management system.
• Engage with your new attendance service provider if this has not already occurred. You will find the name of your new provider on the interactive map on this page.
• Think about which roles you want team members in your school to hold when engaging with the new providers. You’ll need to know this when setting the team up with ESL access to the new attendance service case management system. See guide below.
• Make sure your delegated authoriser reviews the process for how to set your team up with ESL logon access and how to access the attendance service case management system ongoing. You’ll be able to complete set activities from mid-January. See guide below.
• Familiarise yourself with the new guidance on when to make referrals to your provider. See guide below.
• If necessary, update any of your internal procedures so staff know when and how to escalate attendance referrals.
• Familiarise yourself with the new referral process.
• Identify staff who need training and ensure this is scheduled and completed during February 2026.
• Encourage participation in a webinar on Attendance Services to be provided by the Ministry in February 2026.

More information on these actions will be provided at the start of Term 1 2026.