Vox Pop: Should parents lose benefits if children miss school?

NO

Philip Parkin, general secretary, education union Voice

I am very uncomfortable about cutting child benefit, which is there to help parents pay for their children’s upkeep. Cutting the benefit punishes the children rather than the parents.

Many parents of persistent truants are on low incomes, so reducing that income would only serve to destabilise further already dysfunctional families.

I am not convinced that fines work in changing the behaviour of parents. I would rather see some form of compulsory parenting classes to address the behaviour of parents and pupils, along the lines of speed awareness courses offered to some motorists instead of a fine or penalty points.

The recommendation that academy chains, sponsors and schools should be allowed to prosecute parents could increase tension, rather than build bridges.

NO

Helen Dent, chief executive, Family Action

School attendance is vital for children’s futures. But truancy is a problem requiring schools and parents to find a solution together. Fining parents can make family life more precarious for vulnerable families.

A small sample of our family support projects in London shows that school attendance is an issue for a fifth of families we’re working with. These families also have low incomes and problems providing for their children.

We know that parents’ problems beyond the school gate impact on school attendance. We support parents to get their children into school by helping them improve parenting, develop family routines and support their children’s learning.

Far from fining parents, schools and other agencies need to have a proactive strategy of supporting these families instead.

YES

Stephen Twigg MP, Labour shadow education secretary

It is right to fine parents of persistent truants. However, it is even more important to ensure that truancy is prevented or tackled early.

Schools need to be places children want to attend, with engaging teaching and a relevant curriculum. The government is also cutting back on education welfare officers who can identify truancy early.

We need to look at the schools that have addressed this such as Barlow Hall Primary in Manchester and secondaries like the City Academy Norwich and see how we can learn from their success.

NO

Peter Grigg, director of research and policy, Family and Parenting Institute

We support the government’s commitment to reduce truancy levels. But docking child benefit when a child plays truant would not be fair – and would not be effective. What about the negative impact upon the wellbeing of siblings who consistently attend school?

Sound family finances are a crucial factor in determining family wellbeing – and some of the most vulnerable families are bearing the brunt of tax and benefit reforms. Pushing parents closer to poverty will not help them stop their children playing truant, but could create more barriers to regular school attendance.

Schools should be encouraged to do more to involve parents in school life. The first step to combating truancy is to understand the reasons behind it.