Truants' parents pay the price in court

Cases were heard at magistrates' courts in Lewes, Hastings and Eastbourne as part of East Sussex County Council's drive to prosecute parents who continually ignore their child's absence from school and fail to co-operate with education welfare staff.

Seven cases were heard at Lewes Magistrates Court, resulting in a variety of sentences including fines, costs and conditional discharges.

A further three cases were adjourned.

One child had attended 43 per cent of school sessions between January and May and another for 34 per cent of sessions over the same period.

Cllr Rupert Simmons, county council member for learning, said: 'We are committed to helping children in East Sussex achieve a high standard of education, but we need parents and carers working with us to make this happen.

'Our education welfare service provides advice and support to parents and carers who may have problems with their child's school attendance.

'But we will also use strong measures to enforce this, including penalty notices, truancy sweeps and prosecuting parents who continually allow their children to miss school.'