Statistics show that in the mid 1990s only 10% of the students from the Dublin 17 area went on to third level education. This is one of the lowest levels of third level entry nationally. When the Department of Education and Science launched the Early School Leaver Initiative (ESLI) in 1998, schools saw this as an opportunity to attempt to address the problems of school attendance, school participation and early school leaving in the early years of the post-primary cycles. This was achieved by cooperation between schools and local statutory, voluntary and business interests in the area. Since 1999 the Dublin 17 ESLI has been working with over 100 children from the Bonnybrook, Darndale and Priorswood areas to help break the cycle of disadvantage that is perpetuated by poor educational performance and early school leaving. The initiative engages with a group of targeted children who are at risk of leaving school early through an integrated services approach and the provision of additional supports for the targeted young people and their families.

This report outlines the services provided including art therapy, after school clubs, breakfast clubs, counselling, parent training courses, parent events and teacher training. The figures show that 60% of targeted students showed improved attendance, 17% improved their attendance substantially and all 24 students who transferred to post primary in September 1999 are still attending school. Pupils targeted also showed improved behaviour and increased motivation, with improvement in pupils' attitude towards their peers and the sense of ownership of the projects they are involved in.