Parents To Be Fined For Child’s Unauthorised School Absences

Parents or guardians of children who have a series of unauthorised absences from school can now be issued with a fixed penalty notice.

The new initiative comes as a result of the Council Executive Board voting in favour of the introduction of fixed penalty notices to parents / guardians / carers of children who have poor attendance and several unauthorised absences at school.

Last week Wrexham.com reported that parents and guardians of children who have a series of unauthorised absences from school, will be fined £60. The story later generated over 130 comments on our Facebook page – which you can read here.

Speaking yesterday Lead Member for Education, Councillor Michael Williams described the topic as a ‘contentious and difficult area’, adding: “A fixed penalty noticed will not be issued as soon as a problem arises. We will support families and children into going back to school.

“However at the end of the day after all interventions and support, if officers think a fixed penalty notice should be imposed then it will be.

“If a child is sick, it will have an authorised absence. However if there is a pattern of half a day or one a week, it will be unauthorised.”

In a leaflet published before the recommendation had actually been approved by members of the Board, it states: “The Education Act 1996 requires parents to ensure their children of compulsory school age receive efficient full-time education. The law says that parents / carers whose children of compulsory age who are absent from school without good reason are committing an offence.”

A fixed penalty notice of £60 can be issued for a student who had 10 unauthorised absences as a result of a holiday during term time and persistent lateness (more than 10 occasions in one term).

AM and PM count as separate absences – so missing morning lessons or sessions and afternoon sessions on the same day would classify as two absences.

If paid within 28 days, the fine will remain as £60. However if the fine is paid after 28 days but before 42 days, the penalty will increase to £120.

However the penalty is not paid in full by the 43rd day, legal action will take place.

Members of the Board were told that the focus is on those with 70% – 80% less attendance and that parents, guardians and carers will be given 15 days notice of their child’s attendance record before issuing the penalty notice.

Cllr Williams said: “Attendance at school is critical. Every child deserves a chance and we need to convince parents that this is the way to go and the threat of a penalty will encourage them to send their children to school on a regular basis. We must aspire to 100% attendance.

“I hope the number of fixed penalty points we have to issue will be few and far between.”

However questions were raised on the impact the penalty notices could have on lower income families, particularly those who are council tenants.

Councillor Kevin Hughes said: “I am generally supportive of the report. Who could disagree that children of a certain age should not go to school. However I am concerned about the affect the issuing of these penalties will have on families who cannot afford them.

This could make the difference between eating and not eating. All other forms of intervention should be used before the issuing of the fixed penalty points.”

These concerns were echoed by Councillor Dana Davies who said: “Our focus is on the 70% attendance record. My concern is around the debt collection process – I’m looking form some reassurance that council tenants that because of the debt they owe the council, they aren’t going to put their tenancies at risk.

“My concern is if council tenants are in a position where they can’t make the payment, I want assurances that it is not going to effect their tenancy agreement.”

Members were ‘assured’ that there will not be any link between an outstanding penalty notice and a tenancy; with debt collection being the same for all parents, irrespective of the housing background they are in.

Meeting told FPN’s targeting 'long standing intergenerational non attendance’ trans: family bad habits for taking kids on hols in term time

— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) November 11, 2014

Cllr Williams said: “The social services will do everything in our power not to end in that situation. At the end of the day it is the responsibility of parents and guardians to ensure their children are educated. What we are talking about here are a small, hardcore element whereby the attendance of the children is 70%.

“If tenants are deliberately not sending their children to school, they will be fined. I hope it doesn’t happen and that the parents recognise the help is there to help them.  If we attendance to drag on, it becomes more and more of a problem to get children back into a school situation.

“They come back after a period of absence, fall behind with work, friends have moved on and as a result of it they can see no motivation for going back. When they get to year 10 they will be attending less than 50% of the time, by which case they are beyond help. Tenants will be given all the support they need and people will work with them to ensure that their children attend.”

Questions were asked regarding holidays during term times, with some councillors alluding to some families not being able to afford time away during peak time and also families who work shifts and have their time off set for them.

Cllr asks if any evidence exists that school attendance FPNs makes a difference, reply ‘I suspect there is’ but none actually presented.

— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) November 11, 2014

One councillor told members that due to shift patterns not everyone has the luxury of choice of when to take holiday’s and that it is not just price based decisions. Another added that ‘parents who are working have a right to take holidays with their families’ and that ‘some people can only take holidays when their companies allow them’.

The Board was told that holiday’s and absences during term time would be at the discretion of a school’s headteacher and that in ‘effect’ families can still apply for up to two weeks of holidays during term time.

A forum thread on the issuing of fixed penalty notices to parents has since been started on the Wrexham.com forums. You can view the discussion here…