End punitive approach to pupil absence, with more collaborative policies written into law, government is urged

The government should end its system of “criminalising” parents if their children truant from school as part of a more compassionate approach to absence, including being more supportive on pupils’ mental health, an advocacy group is recommending today.

As the schools bill returns to House of Lords scrutiny this afternoon, the groups Square Peg and Not Fine in School are seeking to draw attention to its clauses which seek to clamp down on pupil absence. The home education sector is also facing closer regulation under the legislation.

The groups have published a list of “three asks”, around truancy laws, an “attendance code of practice” and a “mental health absence code”.

The groups advocate “end[ing] truancy laws”: getting rid of penalties for parents which can currently include fines of up to £2,500, a community order or up to three months in jail.

They would “replace truancy laws with a compassion-focused response which focuses on ensuring welfare, social care, disability and SEN/educational support, mental health and appropriate healthcare needs have been assessed and provision is in place”.