Today (Wed 26 Aug), the Royal College of Psychiatrists calls for the suspension of fines for children who can't attend school. 

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “The desire to bring everyone back to school, as soon as it is safe to do so, is correct. But fines are too blunt a way of making this happen. They drive a wedge between schools and families at the best of times. That is something we can ill afford when the priority is to get more pupils back into class. Achieving this will rely on a huge amount of cooperation and understanding between schools and families.

"The reality is that if a parent is concerned enough about their child’s safety to keep them off school, the threat of a fine is unlikely to change their minds. We would urge the government to abandon its plans to fine families at this time.”

Press and Media contacts:

Steven George
NAHT Head of Press and Media
01444 472886
07970 907730

Rose Tremlett 
Senior Press Officer 
07545 354363

Email : press.office@naht.org.uk