When children play truant, education supervision orders can be far more productive than prosecuting parents, says Jacqui Newvell – so why don’t local authorities use them?
Education supervision orders (ESOs) were introduced by the Children Act 1989 to tackle poor school attendance. They mean a local authority can apply for a supervisor for a year to keep an eye on a student who is playing truant.
Do they support vulnerable children and young people, and improve their chances across the fve Every Child Matters outcomes?
Truancy has been high on the government agenda for more than a decade. But many local authorities don’t make use of ESOs – now in their eighteenth year – despite their duty to consider an ESO every time they prosecute a parent for failing to make their children attend school.
It is now 12 years since the government announced its target to reduce unauthorised absence from school. Over this period, there has been a range of initiatives – including changes to legislation on enforcement, mostly punitive measures against parents.