Jailed mother considering legal action

A Solihull mother, who was jailed for failing to send her daughter to school, said she is considering taking legal action against the education authority and the school.

Jane Edwards-Skett was convicted after her daughter Victoria failed to attend a single day at Archbishop Grimshaw school in the past two years.

The prosecution, brought by Solihull Council, is the first of its kind which resulted in a custodial sentence.

Ms Edwards-Skett, who has since been released from her two week sentence, said she felt very let down.

If my girls have been naughty in the past I've made them take responsibility for their actions Jane Edwards-Skett

"I'm thinking of taking legal action, possibly suing the education authority and the school for letting me down," she told BBC WM.

"Victoria is coping but she feels immensely guilty and has even said to me it should have been her that was punished."

Ms Edwards-Skett said she collapsed when she was originally sentenced to six weeks in jail, later reduced to two weeks following an appeal.

"I know I'm an excellent mother and grandmother," she said.

No alternative

"If my girls have been naughty in the past I've made them take responsibility for their actions."

Ms Edwards-Skett, of Kingshurst Way, Kingshurst, also had a parenting order imposed on her.

She had previously been convicted for the same offence in November 2001 and given a 12-month probation order but this was discharged in January when she failed to co-operate with the order.

Steve Martin, the Solihull Council's chief education welfare officer, said: "Despite having worked very hard, all our efforts were thwarted and we had no alternative but to use the court process."

He added: "We need to send the message out to parents that we will take action if they fail to send their children to school, and in most extreme cases, this can mean prosecution and even imprisonment."