I wanted to share this here because I know so many families are impacted by the fines for unauthorised school absence. My personal belief is that the punitive measures that parents face are, for the most part, unjust.
Many wonderful parents, for many legitimate reasons, face limitations with when they can access time off work, whether they’re employed or self-employed. I know from first-hand experience the difficulty faced when an opportunity for decent quality time together falls over the school term - and we have a decision to make. Have no restorative time as a family, or try to book something together and face the increased likelihood of fines. Worse still, since the policy change from August this year, we face an increased risk of an actual criminal record too.
Since I’ve been researching this issue, I was shocked to learn that so many parents face fines and prosecution purely for advocating for the needs of their child(ren) who experience absence from school because of reasons that include poor mental health, badly managed bullying and unmet disability needs!
That’s why I’m part of a group advocating for parents, creating unity and doing our best to help fight the Government on a policy that is routed in misrepresented data. We’re asking for parents/carers/grandparents/teachers to post TWO postcards/letters on THURSDAY 14 NOVEMBER. One to PM Keir Starmer and one to the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson. We ask that these communications include your own personal reasons for opposing the measures, PLUS two key messages:
1). Family time is not a crime. End the fines.
2) Our children need support, not parents in court.
I’d love for as many people as possible to be ready to send these letters or postcards on Thursday 14 Nov - if opposing these fines is in keeping with your values.
WHERE THEY NEED TO GO:
Keir Starmer - 10 Downing Street, London SW1A 2AA
Bridget Phillipson - 106 Newbottle Street, Houghton DH4 4AJ
Please remember to send 1st class, ideally BEFORE the last post on Thursday 14th November.
As parents, we deserve to have the diversity and complexity of our family needs recognised and respected. We deserve to have the plethora of benefits of family time acknowledged too. We deserve to have our parental rights respected as we make decisions in the best interests of OUR children. Thanks so much.