Absence
Policies

Compliance Indicator

The program has policies & procedures that are consistent with statutes & regulations on verification of excused absences & abandonment of care.

Regulations/Reference

CCD Program Instrument: I. Family Files CCD 06
Welfare & Institutions Code: 10213.5 & 10251
Title 5: 18065, 18066, 18066.5, 18067, 18068

Monitoring Review Evidence

• Verification of Excused Absences & Abandonment of Care Policies

• Attendance Registry Records

• Sign-In/Out Records

• Written Materials for Parents

Video Description: This video provides an overview of attendance and absence policies for families enrolled in CDSS-funded CCTR, CMIG, and FCCHEN programs.

Attendance Forms/Tools

Promoting Attendance

Attendance & Absence Policy

According to the regulations, contractors are required to adopt written policies for excused absences and abandonment of care. 

Contractors must inform parents of those policies.

What might this look like in a program:

Include your attendance and absence policy within:

• Program Orientation

• Parent Handbook

• Parent Board

• Agency Website

Excused Absence Policy

According to the regulations, a contractor’s Excused Absence policy must define &/or describe the circumstances for each of the following areas:

• Illness/quarantine of child

• Illness/quarantine of parent

• Family emergency

• Medical & educational appointments

• Court-ordered visitation

• Best interest

  • Limited to 10 days within a fiscal year, between July 1st and June 30th

  • 10-day limitation does not apply to CPS or At-Risk children

• Abandonment of care

What might this look like in a program:

Family emergency absences are unique because a return date is not always immediately known. For that reason, it is ideal for contractors to establish a child ”no show” procedure for staff to follow.

Within Monarch Link’s sample Attendance Kit for CDSS programs, we have two No Show procedures that walk us through when contact is made with the parent or guardian, and situations when there is no contact at all.

Abandonment of Care Policy

Contractors are required to adopt policies for abandonment of care.

A child may NOT be disenrolled due to excessive absences except in circumstances when the family does not follow the reasonable absence policy resulting in the child abandoning care.

According to the regulations, families may not be enrolled in a program if they are not using services. When the family has not been in communication with the provider for 7 consecutive calendar days & has not notified the provider of the reason for not using service, the provider must:

1. Promptly notify the contractor

2. The contractor must attempt to contact the parent through a variety of communication methods using the contact information on file

3. The contractor must inform the parent that failure to communicate with the contractor or provider may result in termination of services

4. If there is no contact for a total of 30 consecutive calendar days, the contractor must issue a Notice of Action for disenrollment due to abandonment of care

• Jim has been absent for 7 consecutive calendar days & there has been no contact with the parent.

• Provider Angela has been documenting her attempts to contact Stanley, Jim’s father, regarding Jim’s absences with no success. 

• Since Jim has been out with no parent contact for 7 consecutive days, Provider Angela notifies the Contractor which prompts the agency to contact Stanley to follow-up on Jim’s absences.

• A formal notice is also issued that includes reference to the absence policy & steps to follow if Stanley fails to respond. 

• Since Stanley did not respond or contact the agency after 30 consecutive calendar days, the agency issues the Notice of Action for disenrollment due to abandonment of care along with due process instructions. 

NOTE: Maintain records of all communication attempts

Parent Education

While it's important to understand when an absence may be considered excused, contractors should work to support children in attending and participating as consistently as possible. As program staff, our role extends beyond simply recording attendance. Program staff should:

• Educate families about the importance of regular attendance

• Partner with families to encourage regular participation

• Identify barriers affecting attendance & develop solutions

• Connect families with available resources and supports

What might this look like in a program:

• Educate families on the importance of regular attendance from the start through your parent handbook, program orientations, and other family resources.

• Have a plan in place for when attendance becomes irregular. Use strategies that help staff navigate conversations with families to identify barriers, develop solutions, and follow up as needed.

• Develop an Absence Policy Agreement that outlines the period the child will be out of care, establishes expectations between the contractor and the parent, and provides a way to document check-in dates and follow-up during the absence.

• Ensure you have a system for communicating attendance and absence policies to families, such as including them in your parent handbook.

After reviewing the video lesson & sketch pad notes, it’s time to check for understanding by completing a Knowledge Check. Note that Individual Knowledge Checks will conclude with a Certificate.

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