CHILDREN who regularly bunk off school could give their parents a financial headache under new tougher anti-truancy measures.

From next month parents or carers who fail to ensure their children attend schools in Wiltshire run the risk of being issued with fixed penalty notices.

The notices can be issued to parents who fail to ensure their children attend school regularly and punctually.

If a notice is issued, parents are expected to pay a fine of up to £100 within 42 days (reduced to £50 if paid within 28 days).

Before a notice is issued, parents will have been encouraged to work with the school and the county council's education welfare service to improve their child's attendance and will have received a written warning.

A notice can only be issued if a child has accumulated at least 10 sessions (five school days) of unauthorised absence in the previous six months.

Unauthorised absence is when a school has not given their approval for a child to be absent or where a parent or carer has not told the school the reason for their child's absence.

School attendance levels in Wiltshire are higher than the national average but the county council is keen to ensure that where children do have poor attendance there are measures in place to help parents and schools.

Maxine Gibson, principal education welfare officer for Wiltshire, said: "The impact of children not attending school regularly can be very damaging to their future life chances.

"They fall behind with school lessons and do not do well in exams, which in turn can lead to poor employment or training opportunities.

"When they are out of school, they also run the risk of getting into trouble with the law or becoming victims of crime.

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