Parents of Truant Children in the UK to Face Imprisonment
In the UK, some schools have started sending police to the homes of children who are persistently absent, warning that the parents might face imprisonment if the children’s attendance does not improve. Government officials announced that after the classification of 150,000 children in state schools as severely absent during the 2022-23 academic year, from September onwards, all state schools will be required to share their attendance records daily with the Department for Education.
However, child psychologists and parent groups have initiated a debate, arguing that the mandate for full attendance has led to “harsh” measures in some schools. They point out that school refusal often stems from issues like mental health problems, unmet special educational needs, or bereavement. To address this, experts who recognize that traditional school models do not accommodate all children have established Square Peg, a lobbying and support group. Ellie Costello, a spokesperson for Square Peg, shared, “Parents have told us about school administrations forcibly entering their homes with the police. The children are very anxious,” highlighting families’ struggles against a “toxic, coercive attendance enforcement campaign.”
Dr. Naomi Fisher, a child psychologist specializing in trauma and autism, mentioned, “I’ve repeatedly heard from parents about a child being told, ‘If you don’t attend, your mom or dad will go to jail.” She emphasized that this is “the most terrible thing you can say to a child” and argued that this level of pressure only increases their fear of school. Fisher added, “The children I see tell me they are so worried about school that they aren’t sleeping, have stopped eating, or are having nightmares.” She refuted the narrative that blames these issues entirely on “irresponsible parents.