THURROCK Council has successfully prosecuted four parents for the poor school attendance of their children. The cases were heard on Friday 19 September at Basildon Magistrates Court.
Once a child’s attendance drops below 85% a formal process is triggered look into what issues are causing the absence. The Council takes these steps to help improve attendance at school and pupil participation and performance. Two of the four parents prosecuted had a child whose attendance at school was only 60%.
One of the successful prosecutions was of a 44 year old mother from Stanford-le-Hope whose 15-year-old son had only 60% school attendance during the prosecution period. She was sentenced to 8 weeks in custody suspended for 12 months, together with £220 costs and £80 victim surcharge.
Carmel Littleton, Director of Children’s Services, said: "Despite our best efforts, some parents fail to take adequate measures to improve their child’s attendance at school. Prosecution is a last resort; before we consider it we will use every available recourse and statutory interventions to try and improve a pupil’s attendance.”
“These successful prosecutions send out a clear message that those who continuously refuse to work with our staff will answer for their child’s poor attendance in court. We will continue do everything possible to help children get the education they deserve.”
Amongst the penalties received by parents was a 12 month Parenting Order, a 12 months Community Order, and a fine of £400 to a mother and her partner from Tilbury who failed to appear in Court.
