Truancy blitz working in Hamilton

Spreading the message that children are not welcome in Hamilton's central city when they are supposed to be at school has netted more than 80 truants his year.

Police, truancy services, trusts and retailers are working together on the initiative. In a recent focus day, police identified 16 children who should have been at school. In March 42 truants were located and there were 23 in February.

Police community and youth services manager Senior Sergeant Lance Tebbutt said the initiative was designed to ensure children who should be attending school have every opportunity to do so while at the same time preventing crime.

"Recently our staff were out across the city speaking to retailers and young people and, where appropriate, returning children to school or to their parents.

"In all 16 children were dealt with and they were referred to the School Attendance Service Hamilton (SASH) and to our Police Youth Development Section for follow up action. In one case a 12-year-old child was found playing in a playground while his mother was shopping.

"The mother informed us the child wasn't attending school because the family couldn't afford school uniforms."

Mr Tebbutt said such cases epitomised what the initiative was all about. "About 23 per cent of all residential burglaries are carried out between 8am and 5pm - often by children who should be at school. So there is real value from a crime prevention perspective in ensuring parents meet their legal obligations of ensuring their kids are in class.

"At the same time, we have situations like this with the child whose family is struggling. This issue becomes less an enforcement one and more a case of ensuring the family has the right support to help it reach a solution."

Part of that solution, according to Mr Tebbutt, was support that can be provided by the Police Youth development's partnerships under the Taiohi Toa Trust.

"As we saw in Hamilton in February, in extreme cases, parents failing to ensure their children attend school can be fined but we would far rather work with families to ensure kids are in school and off the streets.

"International research has shown that simply attending school, without even learning anything, teaches children invaluable life skills such as time management, communication and socialisation skills that are too important to ignore."

Mr Tebbutt said the truancy initiative complimented existing work being carried out by Police in partnership with city retailers in an effort to let students know that they weren't welcome in the CBD when they are supposed to be at school.

"Parents and students need to realise that we intend attaining an 'A' in regards to reducing offending by truants in and around Hamilton and the place for children during the day is at school."