Fining Parents ‘Has No Effect’
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A report released a few weeks ago, showing parents across the UK racking up fines of £24m, for taking their children out of school during term time, may not have deterred parents as much as hoped.
A review has found that fining parents has no overall effect on absence rates. It showed the number of unauthorised family holidays actually went up after fixed penalty notices were introduced in 2013. This information from Wales proves that changing the current system is essential.
The Welsh Government said it would consider the proposals put forward.
Ministers have advised head teachers to use discretion to allow parents to take their children out of school for holidays, with penalty notices being issued by the council for those who did not have permission. There will be wide variations in the policy of imposing fines in different areas, however.
Meanwhile, in England, head teachers can allow term-time breaks in the case of ‘exceptional circumstances’ but parents could end up going to court should they break the rules.
In Northern Ireland, no fines were issued, but instead, children’s attendance is monitored.
Some thought that the price of the fine was too low to encourage a change in parent’s behaviour.
Does anyone see the irony here?