Get tough truancy policy 'working'

Regular truancy sweeps are conducted in Carmarthenshire

A west Wales council says its policy of prosecuting the parents of persistent truants is working after seven mums and dads appeared in court on Monday.

One woman was fined £150 after pleading guilty to a charge of failing to ensure her teenage son attended a Llanelli comprehensive school.

But charges against two other parents were withdrawn after the court heard there had been a dramatic improvement in attendance rates.

Earlier this year magistrates in Llanelli became the first in Wales to jail a woman because her 14-year-old son regularly skipped class.

We have seen improvements in attendance records over recent weeks

Carmarthenshire's Mary Thomas

At Monday's hearing the cases against three other parents were adjourned until July 14 to give them a chance to demonstrate their youngsters would improve their attendance records.

One man pleaded not guilty to the charge brought by Carmarthenshire Council and his case has been adjourned until 23 June for a pre-trial review.

Speaking after the hearing, Carmarthenshire's executive board member for education Mary Thomas said the authority's policy was working.

"We have seen improvements in attendance records over recent weeks," she said.

The cases were heard at the magistrates court in Llanelli

"Court is a last resort but a step we will continue to take as a means of ensuring parents send their children to school."

Magistrates passed an order preventing the identification of all seven children and their parents.

Under laws introduced in 2000, penalties for persistent truancy were increased to a maximum fine of £2,500 or a jail term of three months.

There have been around 20 prosecutions across Carmarthenshire for truancy in 2003.

A group which has been set up to campaign against the new truancy laws has condemned the authority's approach. Louise Harvey, who is spokeswoman for the group Parents Against Truancy Court Orders (Patco), said most cases of truancy have a medical basis.

Children may be bullied, have a special need like attention deficit disorder, or have a phobia.

"The government has set targets for truancy and local authorities are under pressure to prosecute.

"The way councils are dealing with this problem is worrying," she said.