County continues push on school attendance

Cases were heard in June at Magistrates' Courts in Hastings, Eastbourne and Lewes as part of East Sussex County Council's drive to prosecute parents who continually ignore their child's absence from school and fail to co-operate with education welfare staff to resolve problems. Parents were prosecuted in 24 cases resulting in fines totalling 2,100 with 1,770 awarded in costs.

A further 18 cases were adjourned by the three courts. At Lewes Magistrates Court 12 cases were heard resulting in fines totalling 650 with 850 awarded to the Children's Services Authority in costs. In one case the parent of a girl who attended just 53% of sessions between January and April was fined 300 with 100 costs.

Five cases were heard at Eastbourne Magistrates Court, resulting in a total of 300 in fines and 300 in costs. A parent whose child had attended 68% of sessions between September 2006 and January 2007 was given a 12-month conditional discharge by the court after changing her plea from not guilty to guilty.

Fines totalling 1,150 with 620 in costs were given to parents in seven cases brought before Hastings magistrates.

A parent who pleaded not guilty for non-payment of a fixed penalty notice had her case go to trial but she failed to attend and was fined 350 with 150 in costs. Her daughter had attended just 54% of sessions between September 2006 and January 2007.

Councillor Rupert Simmons, Lead Member for Learning and School Effectiveness said: "Our Education Welfare Service works hard to give parents help, advice and support if they are having difficulties with their child's school attendance. But where we feel parents are ignoring the problem or failing to work with us to tackle it we will also use strong measures to enforce this." "It is obviously very important our children get the best possible education and as the Children's Services Authority we take our responsibility extremely seriously. Thankfully, the vast majority of parents realise the vital role they also have to play in ensuring this is the case."

The Education Welfare Service contacts parents offering guidance and support when a school's attempts to resolve poor attendance fails. Legal options are only pursued if children remain out of school and parents fail to co-operate to resolve the problem.