Truancy patrols stop 99 pupils in crackdown

Education welfare officers in Doncaster said they had returned five children to their classrooms and another to his mother during the latest crackdown on the town centre’s streets.

A council spokesman said: “A total of 99 children were stopped on the day, 56 of these were accompanied by an adult and 43 were on their own

“The parents of those children stopped will receive a legal warning letter advising them that they will be issued with a fixed penalty notice (FPN) if there is any further absence from school.

“In the first instance of truancy, parents receive a letter.

“This warns that unless the child attends all lessons at school for the next 15 days, a FPN will be issued.”

Since September, 441 FPNs have been issued by Doncaster Council for truancy.

The authority said that 98 were not paid despite several opportunities and the parents had to be taken to court. This is a rise on last year where 120 FPNs were issued and 50 cases ended up in court.

Coun Eric Tatton-Kelly, Doncaster Council’s spokesman for children and young people’s services, said: “Parents have a responsibility to make sure their children get to school without fail.

“The numbers indicate the seriousness of the problem. We cannot let this continue.

“This latest action follows a borough-wide crackdown in January, where officers visited the homes of truant school children to discuss attendance with parents.

“This issue is so important and the rise in FPNs seen this time is due to us changing the way we work to be more efficient in tackling the problem.

“Getting an education is vital so that young people get the very best start in life possible, and I don’t want to see any child in Doncaster slipping through the net.”