PLANS to fine parents in Blaenau Gwent whose children have regularly not attended school are set to be given the go-ahead this week.

As of next month, a fixed penalty of £60 could be handed to parents of children who have unauthorised absence from school.

A report to be presented to executive members of Blaenau Gwent council on Wednesday was considered by the council’s scrutiny committee for education and skills on November 11, with the recommendation that it should be passed.

The report says: “An offence occurs if a parent/carer fails to secure their child’s attendance at school and that absence is not authorised by the school.”

It adds that the fixed penalty notice of £60 will be issued as a result of a child’s “regular non-attendance at school”.

The so-called “truancy” fines may be considered if a minimum of five unauthorised school days have occurred in the current term; if there is unauthorised absence from school due to a term time holiday and where there is a history of poor attendance; if there is persistent lateness of more than five days in the current term i.e. arrived at school after the close of the registration period; if the parent/carers have failed to engage with the school in attempts to improve attendance; and if a pupil regularly comes to the attention of the police during school hours for being absent from school without an acceptable reason.

Blaenau Gwent council is advising schools not to authorise requests for family holidays during term time except where “exceptional and extenuating circumstances apply”.

Head teachers across the county borough have been consulted about the proposed changes affecting holidays in term time and are supportive of the change, the report adds.

Local education authorities in south Wales have previously taken parents of pupils who play truant to court.