DON’T END UP IN COURT !
| Published: 15th January 2007 12:11 |
DON’T END UP IN COURT
74 parents were found guilty in court last year - of refusing to send their children to school.
As part of Sheffield City Council’s hard-hitting drive to make sure children got to school when they’re supposed to, Penalty Notices - fines of £50 - have been issued to over a hundred mums and dads during the year. And if a parent doesn’t pay, they could end up in court, just like these 74 did.
During 2006, Sheffield City Council ran a citywide advertising campaign ‘Their Right, Your Responsibility’, reminding parents of their duty to make sure their children are educated, and worked with hundreds of families where illness, family problems or stress meant that children were struggling to attend school regularly.
Every month, Council and Police officers took to the streets to stop children who are out and about during the school day and check that they have a valid reason for missing school.
“Every day, we’re working with lots of families whose children are struggling with school,” said Cllr Harry Harpham, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Sheffield City Council. “We work extremely hard to make our schools safe and welcoming places where children want to learn, and our officers work closely with parents to make sure that children get all the support they need to make the most of their schooldays.
“But some parents simply won’t comply with the law and we’re not going to sit back and watch them deny their child an education.”
The successful prosecutions meant that 74 parents were convicted of failing to ensure their child’s regular attendance at school under Section 444(1) of the Education Act 1996. Each parent was prosecuted following their failure to pay the fine attached to the Penalty Notice they received from Sheffield City Council.
Penalty Notices - the new fines of £50 that local authorities can issue to parents whose children do not attend school - can only be issued where the child also has an attendance record of less than 90%, with at least 20% of the absence being unauthorised. A Penalty Notice will not usually be issued without a formal written warning being issued first.
Article courtesy of Sheffield City Council Website
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