The Unsung Hero in Schools: The Vital Role of the Family Liaison Officer in Improving Attendance 

Improving school attendance is about much more than just enforcing policies or sending letters home. It’s about connection. It’s about trust. And it’s about ensuring families feel seen, heard, and supported. 

One of the most effective ways to build a culture of trust and a true sense of belonging — for both pupils and parents — is by having a dedicated Family Liaison Officer or Family Support Worker based in school. Someone who is not a teacher, headteacher, or teaching assistant, but who is instead a consistent, empathetic presence who can relate to families, meet them where they are, and help bridge the gap between home and school. 

When parents feel welcome, valued, and listened to, trust begins to grow. And when that trust is nurtured, they become more open to guidance, support, and even challenge from someone they believe is truly in their corner. In my experience, this relationship — built on empathy and honesty — benefits not only the family, but the school as well. 

The role of the family support worker is a delicate balancing act: part advocate, part honest critic. They must be trusted enough to say, “The school is right on this occasion,” or, “You have a point, and I’ll help the school see your perspective.” It’s this middle ground — that friendly, transparent link between school and home — that allows for real change and understanding to take place. 

If every school had this role, family engagement would improve dramatically. These workers aren’t there to take sides. They are there to create space for openness and honesty, to reduce the defensive barriers that families sometimes (understandably) put up. And with that, not only attendance improves — behaviour does too. Because when a child sees their parents and school working together in harmony, they feel safer, more valued, and more secure. 

Over time, parents come to see the family support worker as a trusted ally. Someone who will go the extra mile to make their child feel safe, settled, and seen. It can even reduce conflict by preventing the need for parents to escalate issues straight to the headteacher — the family support worker bridges that gap with care, clarity, and communication. 

Personally, I believe family support workers should be addressed by their first names. Far from diminishing the professional reputation of a school, it adds a layer of relatability that families respond well to. It humanises the role. These are the people making home visits, having phone calls, listening to the small (but significant) things affecting a family’s daily life. From financial stress and mental health challenges, to navigating parenting struggles and boundary-testing children — the family support worker is often the first to know, and the first to help. 

They offer a listening ear, connect families to services, and provide that vital shoulder to cry on. They are not social workers. They are not teachers. They are something different — and desperately needed. 

If we truly want to improve attendance, we have to start with understanding the barriers that prevent it. Most of the time, it’s not about laziness or disinterest — it’s about life being hard. Supporting families in those hard moments, with compassion and without judgment, is how we make real, lasting change. 

The family support worker is not just a role. It’s a relationship. And it’s one every school should have.