Is it an offence to allow a school child to "bunk off" at your home?

[luckimum]

Without going through the ins and outs of the whole saga, my 15 year old is currently in the middle of exams at school. Despite telling him he was NOT taking the day off school to spend with his GF and her family for her BD, I was furious to find he had snook out of the house on Tuesday night.

I immediately contacted the mother of his GF and made it clear he did NOT have permission to go, that he to go to school and I wanted her to tell him he could not stay there. She did nothing and allowed him to stay there even when I threatened to call the police. This woman then ignored me and allowed my son to stay there till this morning when he came home to go to school.

I have been in contact with the school and child welfare about this and they both seem to think that it is an offence for the mother to allow him to stay there when, by law he should of been in school. There is an ongoing battle between me and both my son and GF, but having this woman totally undermine me and allow him to stay is just giving them more ammunition to fight against me. Does anyone know if what she has done is an offence?

[ripsishere]

Sounds awful. I'd repost this in either chat or legal for a reply.

[flow4]

It's very frustrating, but I don't think the other parent has committed any offence, since your DS chose not to go to school and it is you as his parent who has the responsibility for getting him there.

Then DCs are 14/15/16 there are often many areas of their lives where you have responsibility but little or no control. :(

This is the relevant legislation, I think: www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/56/part/VI/chapter/II

This also looks like useful guidance: www.derbyshire.police.uk/Documents/About-Us/Freedom-of-Information/Policies/TruancyGuidance.pdf It seems to suggest that you could have called the police, and the police have the power to take your DS to school - but not to use force, since truanting is not a criminal offence and PACE does not apply. If your son gets aggressive and 'acts unlawfully', he can then be arrested.

[flow4]

Then
When

[mrsjay]

I think flow4 is right It really your responsibility to get him to school but she shouldn't have let him stay in the first place , hope you get it sorted, I would be livid

[luckimum]

thanks for the replies.

I know its my responsibility but unless i locked him in his room and frog marched him to school everyday im banging my head against a brick wall.I have 2 little ones too so its difficult trying to get him to do as I ask and concentrate on them too.
I had words with the mother and she has agreed to speak to me in future. Dont want it to end up with police involved but until he has left school he is doing as I say!

[flow4]

I know you can't make him go lucki - I've been through this too. The tactic I found that worked for a while (about a year, maybe more) was to pay him. I gave him £2 per day to go to school, plus a 'bonus' on Friday night if he'd been all week.

[AnyFucker]

lucki, that is really really frustrating for you

[cateerob]

been thorugh this with my now 16 year old girl, i actually called the police but they just checked that she was ok and asked her to come home, did not make her, in the end i just told her this is what i want you to do, ie go to school everyday, be home by 8pm on school nights ect, if she did not do this i did not give her any money, did not top up her phone(had already cut contract off), i blocked her laptop from home hub ect ect, no new clothes no hair cuts

was a difficult year last year but now she seems to come through the other end and is sticking by the rules

Mind you if a mum called me and send home my son/daughter i would do so..