School asking for flight details after unauthorised term-time absence abroad

[PersonalData]

We went abroad mon-thu last week, ds (10) was in school the week before and went back on Friday. We let them know and obviously knew it would be unauthorised. As it was 8 sessions we don’t qualify for a fine. His attendance is usually 100%.

They asked on friday before and after for us to provide proof of the flights and other details for ‘safeguarding’ but he was back in school and clearly fine ?? We declined as this is private personal data. They replied back that we must submit the evidence by the end of tomorrow?

Is this usual ?

I don’t understand what the issue is, why would you not just give the flight details? You’ve been now so what does it matter if the school know what flights you were on? Or am I missing something?

I agree with others, if a child was hurt then people would be blaming the school for not doing more rigorous checks. They obviously have a system in place to try and avoid these things happening and part of that is to ask for proof of holiday, which can be proven with flight details. I just don’t get the big deal. If we all do it then hopefully the ones we are talking about don’t fall through the net.

No...it is guidance for absence from education and required proof.

Refusing to supply it is very definitely a concern that should trigger further safeguarding / risk assessment

How do you know the parents haven’t lied? You are literally taking the word of a random person on the internet! I really hope you are not in any role where safeguarding children is required.

Yes, they do. But that’s the world we live in and the school have adjusted accordingly

They don't have to confirm it!
The parent's explanation is sufficient!

Oh man.

Simple response:

"Could you explain specifically which aspect of safeguarding is enhanced by having this information, and refer me to the section of the attendance policy that sets out this requirement?"

But it's not proof of anything.

If the school has a genuine concern, they should escalate it. Not do a part-baked investigation.

I find this bizarre , the only scenario I can think of is of FGM was a possibility which is clearly not the case with a 10year old boy. I think think safeguarding is used now as a form of power by schools and this goes way beyond it’s purpose so I would not be handing over any details - they can’t do anything about it

They could always talk to DS? He would happily answer questions about his holiday. Surely that would cover them for
safeguarding to chat to him and make sure he’s ok ? Without demanding evidence from me.

Whst do you expect them to do with the information, that they can't do without it?

Can you think of a legal right the school has to demand it?

Surely asking for flight details would count as the start of an investigation if more concerns came up later on.

Loub1987 · Today 17:29
I think people who work in schools often get very full of their own power. Often they are also people who have never left school - high school, uni, straight back to school. Just don’t answer, what are they going to do?

I wonder what you do for a living?

It makes sense that this could be to make sure he hasn't been kept off to cover up a NAI. It does happen and isn't it wonderful that that reason never even crossed your mind, but for plenty of us who work with kids these are the kind of questions that do pop into our heads when a child is off school.

You could choose to hand over the information, which surely doesn't contain anything particularly private - black out any passport numbers etc if you need to. Or you could choose to fight this battle and put more time and attention on you rather than on other kids who may very well be being kept off for less innocent reasons.

I work in a safeguarding and have never asked for evidence of a holiday. If concerned, you just speak to the child and they tell you about their holiday.

Do you really not understand that child abusing parents tell lies?

It's proof you travelled as you said you did...which is why it's requested

I'm a senior social work manager. I make decisions about actual safeguarding every day. What safeguarding is NOT is assuming all parents are abusive with no evidence of abuse and demanding parents prove they aren't abusing their children when there is no reason to suspect they are.
Demanding flight details is an overstep for one thing, and if it's being used as some kind of 'evidence' of an absence of abuse then it's dangerous nonsense.

It's the guidance for schools ...around term time absence

I work in a school, used to do attendance. Things have changed in recent years but at that time we used to have to have some kind of hard evidence that it was a holiday in order to do the paperwork to issue parents with a fine. Possibly that. As another poster said, unless they have a concern around child marriage/FGM I am not sure what safeguarding-based motivation there would be.

Yes, if they cannot be seen you cannot be sure they are safe. This is key in safeguarding.

I've never been asked for proofs when we took the odd few days off.

Would you also expect train tickets or petrol receipts if the holiday was in the UK?

You could also be abusing your child and take a holiday - I don't want to make light of a serious issue, but does having flight information actually tell the school anything other than it appears that there really was a holiday?

I'd send them a couple of snaps of the kids on the beach.
But seriously the amount of people saying just do as you're told is frankly quite concerning.

People always questions how schools and social services miss the signs when something terrible is going on but when they try to proactively make sure every child is safe people get offended and refuse to engage. In order to protect the children these bad things are happening to ALL families need to be looked at or things will inevitably be missed. They are asking you for evidence so they can be satisfied that your child was off school for a family holiday and not for any other reason.