by Andr? Hueber
A new initiative has been launched in Whangarei to help families of hard-core truants to get their kids back in school.
The multi-agency initiative, known as Slam Bunk, will help police, Ministry of Education and CYF work together to tackle serial truancy, with the final step being court action.
Ministry of Education student support development officer Isopo Samu said it had been hard to get serial truants back in school because agencies had not worked together.
"We'd pick truants up and take them back to school without looking at what's happening in their background. We need to ask why they're missing school."
Most students who wagged school were dealt with by the system effectively but a hardcore group of 20 families in Whangarei were "sucking all our resources", Mr Samu said.
Under the Education Act, students who were absent for more than 20 days could be automatically be removed from the school roll.
"You'd get some students coming to school on day 19 for one day to get around the rule."
Those "system abusers" would now no longer be excused and the process for prosecution would continue, he said.
The Slam Bunk programme meant families who had not responded to a first letter about truancy from their child's school after one week would receive a second - which would also go to Child Youth and Family.
If students still didn't go to school a meeting would be held with the Police, Ministry of Education and CYF.
A series of interventions involving police, CYF and the Ministry would be held over a 16-week period but, if the child continued to be out of school, police would prosecute the parents. A judge could then fine the parents $30 for every day their child failed to appear at school.
Also, a failure to enrol a young person at school in New Zealand can warrant a fine of up to $3000.
Mr Samu said early intervention was important. For some truants, the problem might be a learning difficulty or clash with a teacher.
"For others education isn't seen as important for the family but the law states that every child must be in school until they're 16 years old."
Slam Bunk involved a holistic approach: "The focus will change from prosecuting parents to dealing with areas of need."
The programme was collaborative and would hold each agency accountable by having a clear step-by-step process of who does what and when, Mr Samu said.
The key outcomes of Slam Bunk were to reduce youth offending and get kids engaged in education and making a positive contribution to their community Mr Samu said.
* TRUANCY STEPS
• SCHOOLS START the procedure by posting two warning letters to the student's family and undertaking a home visit.
• WEEK 5: A referral letter is sent to the Slam Bunk programme and police are to deliver a letter and have an "informal chat" with the family. Following that, a hui will be held at the school with key people.
• WEEK 8: The school will send a letter to CYF requesting a family group conference.
• WEEK 16: A letter will be sent by the school advising the family of court action. Police will then prosecute the young person's parents on behalf of the school. A judge could then fine the parents $30 for every day their child failed to appear at school. Also, a failure to enrol a young person at school in New Zealand can warrant a fine of up to $3000.
PARENTS ARE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE
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