The Home School Community Liaison Scheme is a very positive program in operation here in Coláiste Clavin. It fosters a sense of trust between the students, parents, and the school with the aim of maximising the participation of students and parents in the learning process as a whole. Post-primary school is an exciting, challenging, rewarding but sometimes difficult experience, not only for students but also for parents/guardians. School life is not solely about what a student achieves between 9 am and 4 pm and we strive to support parents/guardians in their role as the primary educators of their child(ren).
Our Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) service plays a vital role in fostering strong partnerships between home, school, and the wider community. The HSCL works closely with parents, guardians, students, and staff to support children’s learning, wellbeing, and overall school experience. The HSCL Coordinator reaches out beyond the school walls to the homes and communities from which our pupils come. The coordinator can help parents to understand what happens in the school, what facilities and supports are available and the school’s procedures. This better understanding empowers parents to make more informed decisions about their child’s learning. The coordinator supports parents/guardians through home visits, classes and through the involvement with agencies who support the learning process in the community.
Through open communication, parental involvement initiatives, information sessions, and community links, the HSCL helps families to feel informed, supported, and actively engaged in school life. We believe that when schools and families work together, children are better positioned to achieve their full potential.
HSCL Coordinators, as agents of change in schools, work in an integrated way with all other support services, particularly School Completion Programme staff and Educational Welfare Officers, to implement a whole-school approach to improving attendance, participation and retention in education.
The HSCL service provides a welcoming point of contact for parents and guardians, offering guidance, support, and opportunities to participate in their child’s educational journey. By promoting positive relationships and collaboration, the HSCL contributes to an inclusive, supportive, and successful school community.
The HSCL Coordinator is Denise Farrell and she can be contacted during school hours by Parents/Guardians on the school number 046 95 55018 or on 087 778 1958 or by email on [email protected] for advice and support.
A note about the work of HSCL
HSCL Coordinators are teachers in schools, assigned to the role as HSCL, to work primarily with the salient adults in the child’s life, in order to empower them, so that they can better support their children to attend school, participate in education and develop positive attitudes to life-long learning. Central to the HSCL initiative, is the identification of needs and the provision of a tailored and proportionate response to those needs, through a range of interventions, which are evidence-based, focused and structured.
The HSCL runs free courses and information talks for Parents. Please check back in September for details of courses for the upcoming academic year. The HSCL is also available for Home Visits if you would like to discuss a matter in the privacy and comfort of your own home. All courses are FREE and take place in the school generally during school hours.
Aims of HSCL Scheme
- To maximise the participation of the children in the learning process, in particular those who might be at risk of failure.
- To promote active co-operation between home, school and relevant community agencies in promoting the educational interests of the children.
- To raise awareness in parents of their own capacities to enhance their children’s educational progress and to assist them in developing relevant skills.
- To enhance the children’s uptake to education, their retention in the educational system, their continuation to post-compulsory education and to third level and their attitudes to life-long learning.
HSCL Links with the Community
The STEM Passport for Inclusion is an initiative hosted by Maynooth University led by Professor Katriona O’Sullivan that tackles inequalities in STEM education and careers for students.
The programme combines formal education, direct support, and mentoring to open pathways to third-level education
The programme works alongside young women in DEIS and rural schools and equips these groups with recognised level 6 qualifications and confidence and it aims to prepare them for careers in the technology and science sectors.
20 5th year students successfully completed the programme in 2026 and will graduate with a Level 6 qualification from Maynooth University in the 2026-2027 Academic Year.
A further 20 female students will engage with the programme in the 2026-2027 Academic Year.
