Truancy sweep warning for parents

Parents have been urged not to take children out of school after dozens of pupils were stopped during a truancy sweep in Darlington.

Education welfare officers joined forces with the police on Friday, and in two hours, 45 children were found out of school in the town.

Of these, 30 were with an adult, and 12 came from other local authority areas.

Reasons given included shopping, going to a wedding, attendance not required on Fridays, and medical appointments.

Other children admitted they were playing truants or were on fixed term exclusions from school.

Some were already known to education welfare officers for non-attendance.

Chris McEwan, Darlington Council's cabinet member for children's services, said: "Parents have to help their children understand the importance of going to school.

"We want to work with parents to make sure their children attend school but they must help us. For example if a child is absent from school because they are ill they should be at home and not out shopping with an adult."