£1,000 fines per parent per child to be trialled in Lancashire

[mummymeister]

Aibu to think that this will disproportionately hit poorer families, those not in private schools (where fines don't apply) and those people with jobs where you cant just take time off in school holidays.

Not sure how many people have seen this news item but it was pretty inevitable that the fines would go up massively to deter days off in term. The trial is for £1,000 fines per parent per child - so £4,000 for a family of 4 making it less attractive to take the odd day at the start/beginning of a holiday.

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/parents-to-be-fined-%c2%a31000-for-taking-children-on-holiday-during-term-time/ar-BBSuKFY?ocid=ientp

Ime its not the poorest families that take their kids out for holidays.

the odd day would still be ok - Lancashire (currently) follow this:

Before a penalty notice is considered, a pupil must have had a minimum of:

5 school days/10 sessions unauthorised absence in a term or
7 school days/14 sessions unauthorised absence over 2 consecutive terms

Agreed, I think it’s horrendous. It’s not just holidays though. If you as a parent felt your child was exhausted / run down and decided to keep them at home for the day then you would be breaking the law - which is ridiculous.

Agree with Barbarian
It’s usually middle class parents claiming their jolly is once in a lifetime or more educational than spending time with a trained education professional

It is in our area Barbarian. many of the working families are given holidays they don't get a choice. £4,000 for a family of 4 would have to be a pretty high end holiday to be worth that.

Our school us currently finining 60£ per parent per child even if just one dat umautjorised.

So 240...!!!! Im really shocked. It made sort of sense when under a week, once, was okay.

If the increased level of the fine is established then the implementation of it will be a lottery. some areas do fine for the first absence. some almost never fine. Its the establishment of the principle of fines this high that is the issue.

How many poor families are actually taking holidays though? YABU. It’s hard enough for kids to get a decent education these days without parents taking them out for holidays.

That is a crazy high fine!

So who are the employers around you that dont allow holidays out of term time?

Its not just holidays. its unauthorised absences. so that could be for a funeral. and don't say people haven't been fined for this because they have. there have been past threads on MN about it.

That worries me for the families who have children with SEND whose needs aren't being met in school, resulting in anxiety based school refusal. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of families in this position and the default position of the school is often to threaten fines.

I'm confident that the vast majority would win hands-down if their case went to court but the threats cause huge stress and anxiety for parents who are already struggling, missing time in work working really hard to try to help their distressed child.

saw a bit about this on MR C5 today

i dont know anybody that could afford to pay that and i doubt many people could it would have to be some holiday to be prepared to pay that

i know quite a few people that have taken the kids out and paid the present fine as it is douable especially if you pay for a package holiday abroad

i guess by my comment then it would work in stopping term time holidays,though yes many familys cant pay a fine of 1k so no holiday or a much cheaper one in holidays

i was lucky last year as i did manage to go in the school holidays,many cant

i would like to see some sought of compromise but what that would be im not to sure

basicaally i dont agree with a 1k fine

Barbarian - any tourism area in the UK wouldn't allow employees in the tourism industry to take time off in school holidays. that's cleaners, people working in shops and restaurants, people running attractions, car park attendants and so on.

Its also people who work in organisations where you get allocated your holidays with no choice. this affects a lot of people too.

personally, I am self employed in a very niche industry (so wont name as its outing) where I can only take time in school term time as can all of my staff.

FGS Jeremy Vine

The odd day off or even - god forbid - a holiday during term time does no damage to a child’s education.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-46950372

It’s scaremongering and not true

barbarian I get set annual leave and if it’s not school holidays then tough luck.

I’m in Scotland and our head authorises my kids annual holiday.

Lancashire have released a statement saying this is untrue. www.lancashire.gov.uk/news/details/?Id=PR19/0017

Lancashire have confirmed this is rubbish

Tough on those who do not get annual leave during school holidays. This used to be me. Only time I was allowed off over any school holidays was at Xmas.

If your employer will confirm you can only have holidays at that time then fines shouldn’t apply.

That’s still a ridiculous hike though

That article says maybe and up to and specifically excludes funerals, nothing actually definite as far as I can see.

I'm going to watch and reserve judgement until the policy has been fully trialled.

tiredeyes21 - not scaremongering they are "gathering ideas" its what government does. it throws something out there and then looks for the reaction. why would a school say this to parents if not true or something that was discussed.

perhaps Lancashire is being economical with the truth.

Ok so it was debunked while I was typing, was the original article fake news?