Education welfare officers hope the move by Stoke-on-Trent City Council will also boost attendance at secondary school by establishing a strong pattern of attending school from a young age.
The contracts, which are voluntary and not legally binding, are likely to include classes on parenting skills, tips on behaviour management, and extra support for families struggling to cope.
Kerry Corcoran, Stoke-on-Trent's senior education welfare officer who oversees primary attendance, said the majority of absences at primary school were parentally condoned: "If we can get through to parents and make them understand the importance of attending school at primary-school age, hopefully by the time children get to secondary school they will already be in the pattern of going to school and be able to continue it."
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