Truancy

EDM number 132 in 1993-94, proposed by Harry Cohen on 30/11/1993.

That this House considers the Secretary of State for Education's response to the implications of the Jamie Bulger trial concerning truancy to be woefully inadequate; notes that his idea of a truancy watch is so lamentable that he did not even consider it worth representing to Parliament; notes that the idea is a pale imitation of neighbourhood watch, but those voluntary watch schemes have minimal impact upon the overall level of the problem, that for many years his Department has applied the cheap option of simply leaving the truants on the street, and is still trying to deal with truancy on the cheap; considers that a proper programme would include schools being more attractive and better resourced so that they have facilities for those who can quickly become alienated, that special schooling arrangements within schools should be widespread and involve lower pupil teacher ratios, that proper enforcement arrangements should apply where children persistently do not register for classes and that at the end of that process there should be some secure day places for persistent truants which provide a high level of education and not just detention; considers that the causes of truancy, such as family and emotional upset and learning difficulties, must be addressed and that evidence of disturbed behaviour should be identified early on, and social and educational welfare support applied at an early stage; and considers that such a realistic programme to tackle truancy would require resources and that is why the Secretary of State for Education has not come forward with any serious programme.

This motion has been signed by a total of 39 MPs.