Increasing fines for parents whose children have poor attendance is the kind of idea that makes for a good headline but is actually far more complicated.
Truancy is not all about hanging around the corner shop sneaking cigarettes or playing Xbox while your parents think you’re at school.
So when I saw the news that, after decreasing dramatically during the pandemic, the number of parents being fined for the low attendance of their children had risen sharply, I felt let down by a government who doesn’t seem to be willing to listen to what parents and teachers have to say.
