Should parents of disruptive pupils have their benefits docked

[Carriemumsnet]

We've been asked on to the today programme to talk about a proposal to remove child benefit from parents of disruptive pupils at primary level. Not sure this will make a realistic difference, but what do you think should be done about dealing with disruptive behaviour in the classroom?

Going on at 8.30so all thoughts welcome
thanks
mnhq

Whata ridiculous idea, should be helping the teachers not punishing teh parents. If the children are in school then the teachers need ot be able to control the pupils, and that means be able to impose sanctions on them.

If a child is coming from a home with lots of problems, abusive parent or short of money and so stressed parents then punishing the parents for a child acting out will either make things much, much worse for the parents or the child.

I know it's too late, but all that pressure of SATS and tests has not helped. ALl that pressure on children has been damaging, imo.

Just listening now, what a horribly cynical view of parents.

Carrie is doing a fab job.

carrie sounds like voice of reason.

WELL DONE carrie
you were great.

Thanks so much to everyone for your input - what an amazing bunch you are

Just hope your children still made it to school (wouldn't like any of you losing your child benefit or anything ......)

I think that most teachers can deal effectively with bad behaviour: it's the more extreme cases being discussed here. And those can be down to a whole complex set of causes. What defines them in a way is that day-to-day class management doesn't work, the question is then what will?

In my experience things which can work include working with the parents (the school really making the effort to contact parents), external support and advice for teachers in matters beyond their experience (for example work with neglected or abused children), clear and fair procedures and boundaries which are stuck to in school, listening to the child (sometimes this isn't done and the child just pushes further and further away) and appropriate support and training in SEN and communication needs.

And no, not all children with SEN are naughty, nor do all naughty children (although I dislike the label naughty) have SEN. But a child with SEN whose needs are not recognised or met may well display bad behaviour.

Extremely challenging behaviour in the classroom can be very difficult for a teacher to deal with, not just in the classroom but on an emotional level too. Feeling personally attacked, or that they are failing their pupils can be very damaging. Often the teachers are desperate for some help but no one gives them any. The knock-on effect on other pupils of disruptive behaviour and demoralised teachers isn't great either.

I was very fortunate to work in a school with fantastic support all round. There needs to be support for teachers, pupils and parents to really make a difference in these cases.

Now let me think, which are the children I have known to be really disruptive during dcs' school years? Well, there was the little boy whose mum had been murdered, he was seriously disruptive. The little boy whose mum was dying was also quite disruptive, if not as bad.

And there is no doubt that in both cases it was about family background.

The mistake some posters are making is equating family background = family's fault. Those mums wouldn't have pulled themselves together and not died if sanctions had been applied

FWIW- 30 well behaved, polite, properly socailised DCs can be taught together extremely successfully providing they are streamed appropriately.

Agh! Selection!

Were you to ask the long gone Xenia, she'd tell you that her DCs were taught in classes of 25 in very expensive private, but academically selective schools.

They flew.

IMO, removing benefit from the parent of a badly behaved DC is not the answer per se. Withholding some of that benefit on the proviso that it will be paid if parent attends the parenting classes she so badly needs (thus 'accesses the support she needs') MIGHT be!