Parents are 'not deterred' by fines for vacations during the school period, research reveals

The majority of parents say fines for unauthorized absences would not stop them taking their children on holiday during term time, a survey has found.

Almost three in five parents – 57% – have missed or would consider their children missing school for a day or more during the school holidays, according to research carried out by the charity Parentkind.

The same proportion said the risk of receiving a fine would not impact their decision to remove their child from school.

The survey, of almost 5,500 parents across the UK, was carried out by YouGov in April and May, before higher fines for unauthorized pupil absences came into force in England.

The government increase in fines for school absence from £60 to £80 this academic year in a bid to increase attendance since the pandemic.

A parent who receives a second fine for the same child within a three-year period will now automatically receive a £160 fine.

More than half of parents said they opposed the policy changes, the poll found.

The Department for Education (DfE) said further action, such as a parenting order or prosecution, will be considered if a parent receives more than two fines per child within a three-year period. Those who are prosecuted could receive a fine of up to £2,500.

Almost one in five – 18% – parents surveyed said it was more difficult to get their children to attend school compared to before the pandemic, while almost a third (31%) said they were “more relaxed” about attendance of your children since the COVID lockdowns. .

The survey also found that one in seven parents (14%) admitted that their children spend seven hours or more a day on electronic devices, such as phones or games consoles, during the week outside of school.

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Parentkind has called on the government to publish evidence about the harms of smartphones and to introduce legislation to ban smartphones for children.

The charity’s research also found that some parents reported skipping meals and rationing heating to cope with financial pressures.

More than one in five said they had difficulty meeting the costs associated with sending their children to school, including uniforms and school trips. Around 11% said they had taken out a loan or incurred debt to pay these costs.

Jason Elsom, chief executive of Parentkind, said: “Many parents are struggling to make ends meet and keep their children away from screens, it’s no wonder they are tempted by term-time holidays.

“We are asking for a big commitment from ministers to listen to what parents are saying when it comes to making family life cheaper, cracking down on exorbitant holiday costs and banning smartphones for children,” he added.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “Ultimately, fines are a blunt tool. Many teachers and leaders are already doing a lot to help children get back to school, and attendance figures have started to improve.

“The best way for the government to tackle the causes behind persistent absence is to fund services that support both families and schools – which faced devastating cuts under the last government’s austerity.”