Parents face jail for letting children play truant

By CHRIS MARSHALL
Published on 09/10/2012 02:37

THREE parents are facing jail over their alleged failure to make sure their children regularly attend school.

Edinburgh City Council said it had commenced criminal proceedings against the parents to help improve attendance and performance in its schools.

New targets for the current school year hope to increase attendance in the city’s primary schools from 94.5 to 94.9 per cent, the equivalent of around 17,000 additional pupil days.

The target for secondary schools is to increase attendance from 91 to 91.4 per cent, which is the equivalent 
of around 13,000 extra pupil days.

Councillor Paul Godzik, the city’s education leader, said: “Prosecution is a last resort; before we consider it we will use all available recourses and statutory interventions to try and improve a pupil’s attendance. If, however, these steps do not help, and parents do not take adequate measures to improve their child’s attendance at school, then they will need to answer for their child’s poor attendance in court.

“This sends out a clear message to parents that poor attendance at school has serious consequences, and also that we as a council will do everything possible to help children get the education they deserve.”

The council said complaints had been lodged in three separate cases to the Justice of the Peace court.

If convicted, parents can be jailed for up to a month or fined up to £1,000.