Parents of truants shopped

John Scheerhout

December 04, 2003

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ON PATROL: Pc Richard Sinclair with education officer Steve McDowell

POLICE caught 83 schoolchildren playing truant in one day at the Trafford Centre - and most of them were Christmas shopping with their parents.

One 12-year-old was taken into care while another had to be restrained by police after she became violent.

The Manchester Evening News joined police and education welfare officers who spent a day tackling pupils aged five to 16 and their parents at the giant mall.

Of the 83 children, 68 were with their parents and many said they were too ill for lessons although not too poorly to go shopping. Two grandparents from Grimsby told the officers their 11-year-old grandson was off school with an ear infection.

One pregnant mum from Oldham who was with her seven-year-old son told officers she had wanted to take her son to a hospital scan on her baby during the morning before going to the Trafford Centre.

Behaviour

One mum from Walkden was warned by officers after they found her shopping with her two sons, aged seven and 13 and their 12-year-old friend. She insisted her sons were off school because they had nits and it was the only day she had off before Christmas.

The 12-year-old boy told officers he was off school with stomach ache but his school later said his mum had called to say he was off so he could go to the dentist. "I determine when they're off school," said the angry mum, who defied the police warning and continued to do her shopping in view of the officers.

Parents who were caught out were advised about their behaviour and letters will be sent to their schools and education authorities.

Parents who repeatedly allow their children to stay off school face prosecution which could lead to a maximum fine of £2,500 and up to three months in prison.

Trafford Centre director of operations Steve Bunce said: "We want to send out a clear message to youngsters and parents alike that we will not tolerate truants throughout the centre, whether accompanied by an adult or not. This latest operation highlights the importance of partnership work with Greater Manchester Police and welfare officers from Trafford Council."

Pc Richard Sinclair, a youth development officer, said: "If they are ill they should be at home recuperating so that they can return to school as early as they can to continue their education."

Should parents be punished for allowing their children to be out of school?

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julie, manchester (04/12/2003 at 09:45)

I think parents should be punished for keeping there children off school especially when they are out xmas shopping & there's clearly nothing wrong with them. These are the sort of parents who complain later when their children get bad exam results and they wonder why. Keep your kids off if they are poorly but make sure they stay indoors. Keep up the good work

John, Walkden (04/12/2003 at 11:51)

Parents should definitely be punished for allowing their children to play truant, especially if they are with them. I saw two young boys myself last Friday at the Trafford Centre, but would probably have received a mouthful of abuse if I had dared to comment on their missing school. No wonder this country is growing up to be a nation of ignorant yobs.

Ace Riley, manchester (04/12/2003 at 12:53)

All children in Britain have the right to a good education. But some parents are denying their children the right to a good education. How can we as a nation hope to go forward when our kids are not being educated due to bad parenting.

Jim, Didsbury (04/12/2003 at 12:58)

I think the words are "Bad" & "Parents".

BM, Manchester (04/12/2003 at 13:12)

It's all very well saying parents should be punished for keeping kids off school, and if its on a regular basis for no reason, they should.

My problem is that my childrens school will not allow any children back to school for 48 hours after they have had a temperature. So if they are off on a Monday with a cold and a temperature, but are fit to go back to school on the Tuesday, they are not allowed, BY THE SCHOOL, to go back until Thursday morning. This is for children up to year 6, 11 years old.

So, do I leave a fit child on his own in the house because if he's not at school he cant go anywhere else, and have all the condemnation for leaving a child 'home alone', or do I go about my normal, essential business and take him with me, running the risk of being stopped by the police? If I stay in the house, who will do my food shopping, picking other children up from school, etc.

Another point is that if I take my child to a doctor, then get a prescripton and go to a chemist, I walk through a shopping centre to get to the nearest chemist to my doctor. Does this count as unauthorised shopping?

Vicky, ... (04/12/2003 at 13:23)

I think that parents should be punished for letting their children take time off school when they are not ill. They should be setting an example to their children what is wrong and right, if they are doing this now what are their children going to turn out like

chris nicholls, new haven ct usa (04/12/2003 at 13:33)

The parents should be made to attend school with the kid for a month. I raised six kids. I know

Rob, Salford (04/12/2003 at 14:14)

When will the authorities stop
micromanaging every aspect of our lives
if a mother wants to take her children shopping to save them going late night or weekends to try and miss the tens of thousands of other people trying to christmas shop then it should be her choice to make i cannot see the abuse factor in going shopping for a day
If on the other hand these children were on there own then there is a case to make.
Freedom of choice, free will
do these statements mean anything to anybody anymore
let parents try and be parents
if they cant cope then help dont shove authority at people all the time they eventualy get sick of it

Hazel, Crawley (04/12/2003 at 22:20)

Parents should be allowed to take responsibility for their children. Seeing his mum and baby being scanned is surely more educational than anything the 7 year old boy was missing at school!
The govt makes a big thing of truants causing trouble or running riot, so why are they targeting kids who are behaving properly and in their parents care?

John Waddington, Sydney, Australia (04/12/2003 at 22:26)

Having lived in the North West for many years, I see truancy and parents attitudes towards education as the biggest social problem facing Manchester. Teaching your kids self-discipline by making them go to school even when they don't want to, is surely one of the best things you can teach them. Unfortunately there will always be a small minority not doing "the right thing" by their children. The law, for these parents, should make the decision for them. Our children and their futures are too precious and important for it not to.

John, Age: 29

Andy, Wythenshawe (04/12/2003 at 23:02)

Rob, there is NO such thing as "freedom of choice", we live in a democratic society and abide by the laws of the land ( most of us do anyway).
'Going Shopping' is NO excuse to miss school, and the best time to shop at this time of year is Sunday mornings.Education and the right attitude towards it can make or break lives.
BM if your child is fit enough to go to the shops with you, he is fit enough to go to school, you could always do your shopping through the net, or ask a friend to get the essentials for you, there are no excuses!!

Shan Jayran (SHE), UK (04/12/2003 at 23:45)

I cannot see that children under house arrest are being well parented or well schooled, unless their medical condition dictates it.

Some illness means having to stay in bed, or at least having to stay indoors at home all day. But some illness or crisis, does not. I question the goodwill of those who just can't be bothered to understand the practcal realities of the issues. A child too ill, or too stressed by another's illness, accident or death, may not be able to cope with a full day at school. They may very well be able to handle an hour, or a couple of hours, out doing someting normal and reassuring like shopping. A poorly child, or a burdened child, may actually benefit and perk up if taken out for a short time to do something fun. Any sensible parent knows that.

Parents should also be aware that as the persons legally in charge of their children's education (schools are not in charge) they are entitled to 10 days off during the school year, the dates by agreement with the school.

Mum, Stockport (05/12/2003 at 00:28)

Please note - the law says that it is the duty of a parent to provide their child with an education whether at school or otherwise. Many parents have chosen to teach their children at home. Don't tar us with the same brush as the truants!

Lou H, Moston, Manchester (05/12/2003 at 00:45)

I do hope that the police and directors of the Trafford Centre will remember that it is Education and NOT school which is compulsory in this country and that children who are legally home-educated are not the target of the truancy sweeps according to the Home Office guidance.

Pam Parkin, Rossendale (05/12/2003 at 08:08)

With reference to your recent article regarding truancy sweeps, and attendance at school being compulsory for council tenants. I would like to ask you to look at Section 6 in the The 'Guidance for Truancy Sweeps' published by the Dept. for Education and Skills, (the Home Office Guidelines) which points out that there is a group of children, who are perfectly within their rights, and their parent's rights, to be out and about during school hours. These children are home educated by parental choice. I would appreciate your assurance that these children and their parents will not suffer harrassment by either the Trafford Centre staff, or indeed Manchester City Council Housing Dept.
Yours faithfully.
Pam Parkin

D Robinson, Yorkshire (05/12/2003 at 09:30)

Having read the comments thus far I have to wonder; how many of these people supporting truancy sweeps have actually realised that some parents and their children have a perfectly legal right to be out and about during 'school' hours?
Not all children of compulsory 'school' age are registered pupils at a school, and therefore are NOT truant!
Elective homebased education is the legal right of ALL parents. Is it right that those of us who chose to keep the responsibility for our childrens' education (rather than farming them out to institutions) are constantly lumped together with truants?
The reader who commented on seeing a young boy out with his mother, and fearing a 'mouthfull of abuse' if she had said something, may have recieved an education in the law had she taken the time.

BM, Manchester (08/12/2003 at 13:24)

Andy, thank you for your comments but you are missing the point. My sons school will not allow him to return if he has had a tempersture in the last 48 hours. It is not my choice not to send him, believe me I would be only too happy to send him back as soon as he is fit. It is the policy of the school not to allow him back. I would also take issue with your comments about friends doing my essential shopping, or shopping on the net. I am lucky enough to have access to the net, but what about those who dont have access. Also, I have have no one available to collect my other children from school, my partner works full time, my mother works full time, I have no siblings and all our friends either live too far away or work during the day. Who would you suggest I ask, a stranger on the street? I could always ask another parent at the school, but suprise suprise, I would have to take my sick child to the school to find another parent to ask!

Kim, Burnage (08/12/2003 at 15:44)

Responsible people take these things too seriously - and the irresponsible ones not personally enough! There will be exceptions to every rule - If you explain that your child is home educated - or their absence is authorised by the school as in BM's case I'm sure you will not be targetted (You may be asked to prove that you are legitimate or others will abuse these loop wholes) However the child that went to witness the hospital scan should have returned to school immediately afterward. And going shopping is no excuse. I only ever missed school due to illness - and after missing just one day often found it difficult to catch up again as children learn so much so quickly these days

Andy, Wythenshawe (08/12/2003 at 22:58)

BM, obviously these truancy measures aren't there to catch a parent who may be found out with their child once in a blue moon. They are there to catch those that regularly truant, and i'm sure if you were stopped, a check with your school would confirm that it was a one off. I cant comment about your problems collecting your other children because i dont know what your situation, and age of children is, but its a sad reflection on todays society if we cant rely on neighbours to help out if needed.

john, swinton (10/12/2003 at 13:43)

The excuse of perhaps these children are being home-educated is very flimsy. What about Saturday, Sunday, late nights????

SS, Manchester (05/01/2004 at 16:33)

YES! Children should be in school and not out shopping...whats more important...Parents have their priorities all wrong

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