I wonder what evidence the levelling-up secretary, Michael Gove, has for his theory that cutting child benefit will reduce persistent absence (Gove suggests parents of truanting children could have child benefits stopped, 28 February). It has already been proved that fines are discriminatory, make little difference, and that institutional parent blame is commonplace. The tired conflation of school absence with antisocial behaviour is well past its sell-by date. It’s also not about term-time holidays, nor uncaring parents who are naive about the value of education, or who are being manipulated by their children.
The reason that rates of persistent absence continue to rise (1.6 million pupils out of a total of 7.2 million in England – 22.3% – missed more than 10% of school days in the combined autumn and spring terms 2021-2022) is that the education system has become too rigid, too narrow and has stolen too much time from teachers to do what they came into education to do – nurture the children and young people in their care.
It’s no coincidence that books showing the reality of persistent absence are in Amazon’s bestseller lists, such as Can’t Not Won’t and Your Child Is Not Broken. Our own book, Square Pegs, features 54 contributions from educators, academics and lawyers highlighting the problems that have led to these levels of non-attendance (and offering solutions). A Facebook group set up to support the families of children and young people facing barriers to attendance now has 38,000 members.
So here is my plea to Mr Gove. Talk to the parents, educators and organisations who are dealing with this issue day in and day out. Try a different approach of support and compassion. Children cannot learn if they are hungry, with unmet and unsupported educational needs, or in a mental health crisis. Educators cannot educate in an inflexible, underfunded system where success is measured in numbers and grades, rather than welfare and opportunity.
Fran Morgan
Founder, Square Peg
Michael Gove suggests that child benefit should be withdrawn from parents whose children persistently truant. The Tories see “welfare” merely as something to discipline the most vulnerable, rather than support those in need.
Derrick Cameron
Stoke-on-Trent
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