Island Labour Chair, Julian Critchley, shares this latest news. Ed
The Isle of Wight Labour Party notes the recent court cases on the Island which have resulted in parents being fined for their children’s non-attendance at school.
In one of these cases, the children, who were disabled, would have missed out on a trip of a lifetime to Disneyland funded by a charity set up to help such children access experiences which would otherwise be impossible.
Proportionally more fines than any other authority
We learned only last month that the Isle of Wight issued more fines, proportionally, than any other local authority.
This suggests a worrying trend towards seeing this issue as a revenue-raising action, rather than one which puts the child and family first.
Critchley: Support not sanctions
Island Labour Chair, Julian Critchley, said:
“The Labour Party continues to support headteachers having the discretion to use fines for systematic non-attendance, where parents are failing in their responsibility to ensure their child regularly attends school.
“However, the key word is ‘discretion’. Careful judgment is needed in every case. Often, families with children with additional needs will have the greatest challenges with those children both in and out of school. It is the school and the council’s responsibility to provide support for those families, rather than reach too quickly for sanctions.
“Being the local authority to impose the most fines on its own residents, particularly relating to children with SEN, is not something to be proud of. Quite the reverse.”
Image: Todd Binger under CC BY 2.0
