Parents of truants can be jailed

Carmarthenshire council currently has seven prosecutions ongoing against parents of truants and has warned that it will begin more in the coming weeks.

Last week, a 35-year-old woman was imprisoned for 28 days after failing to ensure that her 14-year-old son went to school.

The teenager had not attended his comprehensive in Llanelli for three months.

Parents have a clear responsibility to ensure their children are in school and we will not hesitate to take them to court if they neglect that responsibility Philip Jones, Carmarthenshire council

The woman, who cannot be named, lost an appeal at Swansea Crown Court against the original sentence, despite an apology from her truant son.

Councillor Mary Thomas, the executive board member for education at Carmarthenshire Council, said jail was "a last resort" to tackle the problem.

"Every opportunity is given both to the parents and children before cases are brought to court," she said.

She also added that the council had proved it was serious about enforcing its policy.

Damaged education

There have been around 20 prosecutions across Carmarthenshire for truancy so far this year.

Carmarthenshire education welfare officer, Philip Jones, said: "A huge amount of support is available to parents and we will always explore all avenues before court proceedings.

"(Pupils') education is being damaged if they miss lessons.

"Parents have a clear responsibility to ensure their children are in school and we will not hesitate to take them to court if they neglect that responsibility."

The Carmarthenshire truant has apologised

Under laws introduced in 2000, penalties for persistent truancy were increased to a maximum fine of �2,500 or a jail term of three months.

Several parents had been jailed in England, before the Carmarthenshire woman became the first parent to be imprisoned under the new legislation in Wales.

But a group which has been set up to campaign against the new truancy laws has condemned Carmarthenshire's policy.

Louise Harvey, who is spokeswoman for the group Parents Against Truancy Court Orders (Patco), said: "We would urge families to get in contact with us when they are taken to court.

"We would advise parents to plead not guilty to any offence and seek to resolve the situation another way.

"Most cases of truancy have a medical basis. Children may be bullied, have a special need like attention deficit disorder, or have a phobia.

"Magistrates are lay people and not experts and may not know the underlying reasons for truancy.

"Jailing parents is a quick solution to a complicated problem.

"The government has set targets for truancy and local authorities are under pressure to prosecute.

"The way councils are dealing with this problem is worrying and it is up to parents to speak out against it," said Ms Harvey.