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Pathways to School Reentry for Children and Young People with a Medical or Mental Health Condition: An International Delphi Study

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Capurso, Michele, Moracci, Valentina, Borsci, Simone·2025·Continuity in Education
DOI 10.5334/cie.159PMC PMC11887473
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Abstract

Prolonged school absences among children and young people hospitalized due to medical or mental health conditions can significantly disrupt their social and academic development. This study addresses the critical process of reintegrating these learners into their school environments and develops a comprehensive, consensus-based model to facilitate successful school reentry. Utilizing the Delphi method, the research collected insights from 56 experts across 18 countries, representing education, healthcare, and academia, over three rounds of consultation between 2022 and 2024. The findings identify key temporal phases and actions crucial for planning and executing reentry strategies. The resulting models (one for physical health conditions and another for mental health conditions) offer structured guidance, emphasizing multidisciplinary collaboration, context-specific adaptations, and the active participation of the students in the process. The study underscores the need for tailored interventions that address the unique challenges faced by each learner, emphasizing the importance of integrating educational, healthcare, and social support systems with the local culture and values of children and their families to foster resilience and successful reintegration.

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Capurso, M., Moracci, V., & Borsci, S.
Affiliations
  • University of Perugia (IT)
  • Imperial College London (GB)
Corresponding author
Capurso, Michele
ORCID
Venue
Continuity in Education
Publisher
Ubiquity Press, Ltd.
Published
2025-03-05
Volume
6
Issue
1
Pages
38-57
ISSN
2631-9179 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.5334/cie.159
PMC
PMC11887473
OpenAlex
W4408248248
Cited by
3
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 1
FWCI
9.28
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Continuity in Education (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Twente Research Information (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Education › Youth Substance Use and School Attendance
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › School Health and Nursing Education
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › Adolescent and Pediatric Healthcare
Keywords
school re-entry, school absenteeism, hospitalization, health conditions, mental illness, children and young people, multidisciplinary collaboration, student participation, social support, resilience

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