£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

I can only assume you are joking?!! The school educate children for their benefit. Have you got any idea how many children around the world don't get an education? Who have to work in factories, who will never learn to read, especially girls in some countries where girls aren't seen as worth educating. A free state education is an absolute privilege. Civil liberties?!!! I take it you have never watched the news and don't understand what life is life for probably the majority of the children in this world?

I'm very surprised at people saying it's only the wealthiest who take their kids out of school. That's not my experience at all.

I agree Aquilla. in my area its the poorer families that do this because its the only time that they can take a break and generally the parents are in the sort of employment where either holidays are fixed or they are on zero hours contracts so have to take the work when its offered to them.

and they don't go to 5* hotels in Mauritius. they go to a caravan in Wales or they visit family that they otherwise cant get to. we don't all have weekends free.

howonearth - that's a bit of a tired argument to be honest. its the same with "eat up whats on your plate, starving children would be grateful for this" we aren't in the same situation and our lives have different stresses and strains but this isn't a race to the bottom. why shouldn't the previous poster who wants to take both kids to a hospital appointment because one of the children is dreading it and she is trying to make it a positive experience?

this argument always polarises into 5* stars to florida not being a right and kids in (insert third world country here) would be grateful for free education.

YABU OP - like speeding fines, these fines are piss easy to avoid, for anyone.

I don't want to go when it's packed full of other people's dc. I always go in term time so it is a nice relaxing holiday for us all.
The second bonus is it's cheaper.
Tbh I don't see why teachers can't have holidays in term time. There's that many supply/ta anyway it wouldn't make any difference.

What happens if these fines are not paid? Jail? What a waste of resources.

A free state education is an absolute privilege. Civil liberties?!!!
That some missed lessons become a punishable crime it is... a privilege?

I never fail to be surprised at the amount of people who are so willing to be fined for what is essentially a parenting decision. I usually take my children out for a week every year. I am single parent and they both have additional needs. Holidays taken during the summer holidays are too expensive for us as a family and joyless as being herded around with thousands of other families is not something my children could cope with. One of my children has severe meltdowns - not really suitable by caravan parks or camping sites where everyone is in close proximity. I usually tack a few days into February half term or before the Easter holidays. Honestly I just wish people would mind their own business and stop whinging about what other people do with their kids. You may not prioritise a holiday but others do and your sneery opinion is irrelevant. I honestly think people are so scathing about holidays because they prioritise other things in their lives so cannot afford holidays and so want others not to be able to either. I don’t drink, smoke, rarely buy clothes and never have nights or meals out. We go on one lovely holiday a year. I won’t be stopping and I will gladly pay a £60 fine as and when I am given one.

Two of mine got an unauthorised absence so we could go to a family wedding that was on a Friday - one day off. The other 2 were authorised by their schools. Obviously I wasn't going to leave them out of the wedding so sucked it up.

Unfortunately in the same school year two of their grandparents died so they needed time off for the funerals.

I refused to ask permission, so I phoned up on the day and told the school they wouldn't be coming in. I'm not asking them! They won't be coming in and I don't need their permission.

I'm taking one of mine out of school tomorrow to go to London as we got a great deal on theatre tickets for a show he'd performed in at school. Luckily his school are great and happy for him to go.

I agree, it is about time there was a decent deterent.

ringdonna - so you don't think this is unfair on those who have no choice and cannot take their children on holiday in school holidays because of their work. or do you think these people don't exist and those of us that say we are in this position are lying?

CarolDanvers - the point is would you do this if the fines were £1,000 and not £60?

I agree, it is about time there was a decent deterent.
Shouldn't this extend to private schools too?

@mummymeister well obviously not. I was just answering the general "holidays in term time are WRONG!" crew. I'd call them in sick and/or get a doctors note. I'm aware that's not an option for everyone though.

*Well, no. I get allocated holidays during term time and I can go then. Teachers don’t have term time holidays.

My kids then come with me. I’m not going 20+ years without a holiday with my children.*

Maybe people with school-age children should have the right to have at least one week of their annual leave during the Easter, Spring or Summer school holidays. Any employer who can't manage that by using temps or overtime needs to give their head a wobble imo.

My friend's husband used to work for BT, and he got told when his holidays would be. It always included 2 weeks in Jan/Feb and 2 weeks in the summer holidays. They didn't have kids and really resented having to take leave when the schools were off, partly because it was so expensive and partly because everywhere was overrun with children.

I never understood why a huge organisation like BT needed to be so inflexible, unless maybe it was just a dickhead local manager.

lakie I’m a police officer in a small team. No temps available.

I think staggering school holidays but to allow family met ups everyone is off first 2 weeks in august is the way forward by area
Scotland summer holiday is all of July and 2 weeks in august,
NE and NW 3 weeks july 3 weeks august
midlands and wales 2 weeks july 4 weeks august
home counties and London 1 week july all of august back about 4th september ( pretty much as it is now)
South coast devon cornwall etc all of august 2 weeks september

also stagger october break so 7-8 weeks after schools back ie scotland and NE 2nd week october midlands 3rd week everywhere else 4th week

nobody should be fined for funerals or weddings of close relatives

Shouldn't this extend to private schools, too.
^
Agreed.

Also I'm thinking this so I might as we say it.
I can't help wondering if all the ones who agree with this are the ones who are married to managing directors and bankers ect ect and can sit smugly and afford to pay extra thousands of pounds per holiday.
Very easy to agree to something if you're a "me and mine are alright Jack". Also what if it exceptional circumstances eg Nan's funeral who lives in Spain.
I do however think this will work and will stop parents taking their child out of school for holidays, which will lose smart arse holiday companies a lot of money, so They're only shooting tthemselves in foot and pricing them selves out of business. Their look I suppose

I can't help wondering if all the ones who agree with this are the ones who are married to managing directors and bankers ect ect and can sit smugly and afford to pay extra thousands of pounds per holiday.
More likely goodness forbid that working classes get to enjoy some nice things for themselves, like sunshine. They should be grateful to camp in the rain.

On a serious note, every school holiday there are so many people moaning that holidays are too long, parents have to entertain their own kids and how awfully exhausting it is. So... have your cake and eat it

I’m a police officer in a small team. No temps available.

Don't you take it in turns to have first pick of school holiday dates when booking leave? That would seem to be the fairest way imo, and at least you'd get the chance of holiday time off every other year or something.

No, it’s set annual leave and we don’t pick or choose. And we all have kids on my group anyway.

I can request a change of leave but not when someone else has that leave period.

Oh, and also I don’t think I have any more right to school holidays leave periods over colleagues who don’t have children.

I dont think youre lying mummymeister but I do thjnk employers should, by law, be forced to be more flexible. Thats a better solution than allowing people to take their kids out. And then exemptions for certain reserved professions like the military. And then yes, stagger school holidays.

I think many employers are flexible enough as it is without marking something like annual leave through holidays compulsory. At the end of the day, they are running businesses.

Even if I was off in the summer we still couldn’t go away then as h doesn’t take leave then as it’s his busiest time apart from the run up to Christmas

I dont agree Nicki There are 14 weeks of school holidays in the year. Any employer would is forbidding employees time off during any of them (bearing in mind that not all employees will want it and some will actively avoid going away at these times) is not being flexible at all. It doesnt have to ve the summer - there's Easter, Christmas and half terms too.

Sorry Nick - no idea how the extra i crept in there.

I doubt many employers forbid annual during all school holidays throughout the year. It’s more likely that they can’t facilitate having too many members of staff off st key times.