More than 1,700 pupils who are persistently absent have not been allocated any support to help them attend school.
According to the Education Authority (EA), 1,751 children were on a waiting list for the Education Welfare Service (EWS) at the end of March 2023.
That is about 40% of all pupils who have been referred to the service.
If a child is persistently absent, schools refer them to the EWS to try to help them attend school more.
One Belfast principal told BBC News NI that the number of pupils who had not been allocated EWS help was creating a massive problem for schools.
According to previous figures from the Department of Education (DE), there was a significant rise in school absences after the pandemic and lockdowns.
The 2021/22 attendance statistics in Northern Ireland show that almost 10% of school days were missed by pupils due to absence.
