A
new scheme in Wiltshire has been launched by the police aimed at targeting
truants by calling at the homes of any pupils who fail to turn up to school
without a reasonable explanation.
If
they are still in bed, police get the parents to wake them up before driving
them to lessons in a patrol car.
The
scheme, in Wiltshire, is the first of its kind, developed in a partnership
between police and the county council. The operation began last week in
Amesbury and the town’s police chief, Inspector Christian Lange, said it was
already producing results.
“So
far, one early morning visit from the police has been enough,” he said. “It’s
not good for the parents when their neighbours see us knocking on their doors
and taking their kids off to school.”
Each
morning, police officers are provided with a list of children who have failed
to turn up at school without a reasonable explanation.
“Of
course, if they are off sick or there is a good reason then we don’t
intervene,” said Insp Lange.
“If
they are still in bed we get their parents to wake them up, we put them in the
car and deliver them straight to school.”
Officers
are accompanied by an education welfare officer and are working closely in
partnership with Wiltshire council and local schools.
It
is hoped that the operation will help reduce anti-social behaviour in the town
and ensure that children are getting their education.
Parents
have a legal responsibility to ensure their children attend school until they
are 16.
Fixed
penalty notices and fines can be issued if parents fail to make sure their
children go to school, along with parenting contracts and parenting orders
designed to enforce attendance.
It
is not just in Wiltshire that truants are being targeted. Elsewhere in the
country police forces have mounted “truancy sweeps” on the streets around
schools to drive teenagers back into the classroom.
Under
the scheme police and council education welfare officers stop and question
every child of school age they find out of doors — even if they are with an
adult.
If
the youngster has no good reason for missing lessons, officers take them back
to school.
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