Schools: Caution urged on fines for children’s absences

Fines for parents of children who miss school should be treated with caution, said the children’s officer.

Rocio Cifuentes said it had been a difficult time due to Covid and some children would need support on their return.

Education Secretary Jeremy Miles said that in “the most extreme cases” firm penalties could be issued after being discouraged when the pandemic broke out.

It is part of a “amplification” of messages about the importance of attending school amid concerns about absenteeism.

A school principal said children needed to be in school to “perform, perform well and be supported”.

At Cardiff’s Mary Immaculate High School, enrollment is currently around 90% – in line with the Welsh average.

While some absences were still directly related to Covid and another small number were ongoing absences, the school has seen an increase in children not attending on “occasional days”, sometimes Mondays and Fridays, which build up throughout the school year.

“There’s a really noticeable impact when kids aren’t here,” said Principal Huw Powell.

“We want all youth here because the ability to access the curriculum, to participate in teaching and learning, and the ability to access pastoral support and in some cases mental health support depends on them being here are in school.”

Across Wales, attendance was 89.3% in the last week, the week of 3-6 May, and has fallen consistently below 90% in recent months.

This compares to around 94% pre-pandemic attendance.

Deputy Headmistress Annmarie Wilson, who is responsible for pastoral care at the school, said the mental health of some students has suffered over the past two years, which has affected their attendance.

“I think we’ve seen an increase in students who are more concerned about coming to school,” she said.

“Children and families have gotten into the routine of not going to school.

“Getting out of that routine and then knowing they have to come to school was a particular obstacle for some of them.”

The school has three attendance officers who build relationships with families to ensure children attend school.

Katie Lambert sees her role as the “line of communication” between school and home.

She said there were various factors that contributed to the non-attendance of some students, with a small amount being directly related to Covid.

“Some families have lost jobs, there have been deaths, the list could go on forever and it’s all about the school providing the right support for each individual,” she added.

Year 9 students Belle and Joel are happy at school but said the adjustment after long periods at home is a challenge for everyone.

Belle, 14, said it was “overwhelming” at first and that “changing my sleep schedule, waking up earlier to get to school” had been a challenge.

“It’s good to get into a routine — you should be in a routine for school,” she added.

Joel, 13, said going back to school last year was “a bit rocky” because he had to get ready quicker in the morning.

“For me, school is a place where I can meet up with my friends and learn and experience new things, so I’ve really enjoyed being back.”

Ms Cifuentes said a lack of education hurts children’s academic progress, mental health and emotional well-being.

“It’s been a really difficult time for children and families and some will need support to feel safe and happy when they go back to school,” she said.

Ministers have encouraged councils not to fine truancy during the pandemic, but concerns about absenteeism have prompted councils to return to the advice that was in place before the pandemic.

“Fines must be used with caution as there is a risk that sanctions could displace families and drive de-registration,” Ms Cifuentes said.

A recent report prepared for the Welsh Government said there were mixed views on the effectiveness of fines and called for further review of the evidence.

Mr Powell said the parent fine was “a very rare occurrence” and “very last resort for any school”.

But he said they were useful to “reinforce a message that schooling matters”.

A spokesman for Plaid Cymru said: “During the current cost of living crisis, when parents are already struggling to make ends meet, parents who take their children on holiday during school hours and parents who do not take their children there school, for whatever reason, is grossly unfair and could potentially undermine some of the support measures that have been developed to respond to the crisis.