More than 16,000 hours of police time are spent annually on the sweeps,meaning one truant is caught every 82 minutes, according to a survey ofEnglish local authorities by Action on Rights for Children.
Stephen Mason, president elect of the National Association of SocialWorkers in Education, said: "There remains concern that an equalinvestment in resources to meet the needs of children who are absentfrom school could bring about the same or better results." But MingZhang, principal education welfare officer at Kingston-upon-ThamesCouncil, said the message truancy sweeps send out makes them worthwhile.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
