PARENTS who fail to make sure their children go to school could risk being booted out of their homes under tough new measures to cut truancy.
Proposals being drawn up jointly by Manchester's education and housing chiefs would make school attendance a condition of council house tenancy.
If a pupil persistently failed to turn up to classes it could lead to action against tenants by housing chiefs. Officials are now considering whether that could lead to eviction.
The pioneering move is part of a package of measures designed to slash the number of school absentees. And council officials, who estimate 5,000 children are missing from Manchester schools every day, hope it will send out a strong message to parents.
City chief education officer Mick Waters said: "As part of a tenancy agreement, what we are saying is that we expect families to make sure their children go to school. And that is being worked out with the housing department.
Responsibility
"We hope this will show householders they have a responsibility to the wider community."
Coun Jeff Smith, the council's executive member for education, said: "I hope this will make parents realise the importance we attach to making sure their children go to school."
The controversial scheme, which could have potentially serious outcomes for tenants, has even been welcomed by residents' associations.
Bernard Caine, chairman of the Manchester Residents' Association, says a zero tolerance approach could only help strengthen communities.
"There is far too much truancy in the city," he said. "I think the attitude of adults towards school is lax compared to when I was at school. They arrange holidays knowing it's school term."
As part of the drive to tackle truancy, the council also plan to raise the profile of the "school attendance freephone" so that council employees, parents and residents can point the finger at youngsters they believe are playing truant.
The freephone number is 0808 100 0840.
Is it right to punish parents for the actions of their children?
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Hazel, ... (04/12/2003 at 23:21)
louise, manchester (04/12/2003 at 23:23)
I do not send my children to school, and I live in a council house. Children do NOT have to go to school. They do have to be educated, and that has more to do with parental attention than with school as recent research has shown.
It is a good thing when parents spend time with their children and they should be praised for it not hounded.
There is a truancy problem, but it is with children who are out destroying property, not those under the supervision of their parents.
Tracy M, Northenden, Manchester (05/12/2003 at 00:01)
There are many Home Educating families in and around Manchester, many of whom live in Council properties. It would be a disgrace to penalise these families for taking full and productive responsibilty for their childrens education.
If these familes are not to be included in this disgraceful proposal, I would hope that this would be made clearer, and for goodness sake, if we want our children to stay in school then how about we spend more time and money in making it worthwhile and interesting for them to stay.
Lou H, Moston, Manchester (05/12/2003 at 01:05)
Mike F-W, Wales (05/12/2003 at 08:58)
DfES guidelines are quite clear parents should have their rights in respect to this explained to them.
If Manchester LEA fail to do so a prosecution could fail or be mitagated by the court.