JAIL-THREAT MUM BAFFLED BY RULES
A mother has spoken to LAURA CLEMENTS about the problems her family faces after being prosecuted for her child’s failure to go to school regularly
ASWANSEA woman whose child missed nearly half their lessons has said she is “confused and baffled” by the rules as she faces the possibility of jail.
The mum-of-two was prosecuted in November after her child’s attendance slipped to 56%.
She claimed she had “tried everything she could” to get her child to attend Bishop Vaughan School, but when she asked for help from the school, they let her down.
But Swansea Council, speaking on behalf of the school, has said the parent was prosecuted for not ensuring her child attended school, “and after listening to all the evidence including full representation from the mother magistrates found her guilty.”
The mum, who can not be named to protect the identity of her child, had previously appeared in court in 2014, after her child’s attendance reached 61.69%, the equivalent of 68 missed sessions.
At the time, the mother claimed her child was suffering anxiety problems and was having a tough time. She pleaded guilty in court and was fined £95.
She said her child, who lived with her father for much of the time after 2014, was a model student throughout the first years in secondary school, with an attendance record of 96% and grades regularly between C+ and A.
But only weeks after moving back to live with the mother and transferring to Bishop Vaughan, things deteriorated quickly.
“Once my child started there they found it stressful, they wanted to go to school to learn but found the transition hard.
“They went for the first two weeks then one day they set off walking to school but came back in minutes and burst into tears saying, ‘I can’t walk to that school.’
“When the school report came back, it said my child was unco-operative and was achieving only C- for their work.
“It was like I had two completely different children.”
The woman and her child met with welfare officers at the school in June, 2018, to try and sort things out.
“The last school was super they must be doing something right there, but at Bishop Vaughan, what are they doing?”
She said one teacher could, however, see her circumstances and asked if she would like the school to take their foot off the accelerator.
“She said she would work with my child for six weeks and give us six weeks’ grace.
“They got on great, like a house on fire for the first two meetings, and I thought great, this is a breakthrough.
“But then she got too busy and that was the last meeting.”
In July, 2018, the mother was contacted by the school saying that court action would be taken after the child had failed to complete a full week at school.
A Swansea Council spokesman said: “In every case family circumstances are taken into consideration and it is only when all avenues of support have been exhausted and no improvement shown we would take such action.”
He said non-attendance in this case was persistent, despite the parent receiving continued support while their child attended primary school and two secondary schools in Swansea.
“Parents have a legal duty to ensure their children attend school to reach their maximum potential educationally, socially and emotionally.”
He added: “Swansea Council works closely with our schools and families to offer support to improve attendance and ensure that every child and young person can make the most out of their education.”
Section 444 (1) of the Education Act 1996 states that if any child of compulsory school age who is a registered pupil at a school fails to attend regularly at the school, the parent is guilty of an offence.
Most of the time, parents are
‘‘ They went for the first two weeks then one day they set off walking to school but came back in minutes and burst into tears saying, ‘I can’t walk to that school’
- Mother of the absent child
issued with fines when attendance levels are deemed too low.
Between 2014 and 2017, parents across England and Wales were fined about £24 million for failing to send their children to school.
Court action is considered to be the last resort and can result in a fine of up to £2,500, a community order or a jail sentence of up to 3 months if the parent or guardian is found guilty.
While there is no specific criteria for how often a child must attend school, the government guidance states there is a duty “to ensure that a child for whom they are responsible is receiving a suitable education, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.”
But the mother claimed the rules weren’t clear enough about what percentage attendance was deemed unacceptable, and claimed she had been treated unfairly by the school.
“I want it to be black and white, so then I know what I’m dealing with,” she said.
“I want to know what percentage puts you into court, because if 54% is the cut-off, then half of the parents at Bishop Vaughan should be in court too.”
She was also critical of the way her case had been dealt with, claiming the school didn’t take enough account of her own health issues.
She volunteers with a local group, and said: “I spend my time helping others but I’m made out to be a bad mother.”
The woman will be sentenced on November 27, but whatever punishment is dished out to her she plans to appeal.
“I have tried everything to get them back to school apart from dragging them by their hair,” she said.
She claimed: “But the way our children are being treated there is just unbelieveable.
“It’s just not a nice atmosphere in there. I don’t think there is any control.”
“If we show any concern and speak up, we seem to get punished.”
In every case family circumstances are taken into consideration and it is only when all avenues of support have been exhausted and no improvement shown we would take such action
- Swansea Council spokesman