Various initiatives have been introduced to tackle the problem, many designed to hold parents to account, but there is one that has largely been ignored, in spite of it fitting the Every Child Matters agenda perfectly: education supervision orders (ESO).
Since their implementation in 1991, their use has steadily declined. They are ignored by many local authorities, even though they have a duty to consider them every time they prosecute a parent for failing to ensure their child attends school.
Parents have duties and responsibilities, which they should not be absolved of, but this lack of focus on a young person's needs is concerning. Sometimes it is the parents' fault but identifying who is to blame is no guarantee that the outcomes for vulnerable young people will be improved.
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