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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Jail helped, say truancy couple | Jail helped, say truancy couple |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A Newport couple jailed for failing to ensure their 14-year-old daughter went to school have said the prison sentence may have helped the situation. | A Newport couple jailed for failing to ensure their 14-year-old daughter went to school have said the prison sentence may have helped the situation. |
| Christopher and Deborah Haine were given four months after breaching an earlier suspended sentence. | Christopher and Deborah Haine were given four months after breaching an earlier suspended sentence. |
| Truancy figures for Wales are set to be published later on Tuesday. | Truancy figures for Wales are set to be published later on Tuesday. |
| A survey of experts in truanting has found only 4% of them think jailing parents is an effective way of tackling the problem. | A survey of experts in truanting has found only 4% of them think jailing parents is an effective way of tackling the problem. |
| The Haines were jailed after their daughter attended school for just six out of 113 days from January until July this year. | |
| The couple said she was now attending school regularly, and they were getting help from the authorities following their release from jail. | |
| As soon as we came out of prison, everybody's willing to help us Christopher Haine | As soon as we came out of prison, everybody's willing to help us Christopher Haine |
| But they said if they had had more help beforehand, the court case could have been avoided. | But they said if they had had more help beforehand, the court case could have been avoided. |
| Mr Haine told BBC Wales: "I can understand from the court's point of view [why they jailed us] because I think the courts have got to set an example to prove that they mean what they say. | Mr Haine told BBC Wales: "I can understand from the court's point of view [why they jailed us] because I think the courts have got to set an example to prove that they mean what they say. |
| "If any other parents are thinking their children are going to get away with it, they're not. | "If any other parents are thinking their children are going to get away with it, they're not. |
| "My daughter didn't go school - every child has to go to school. But it seemed the help we needed failed and collapsed. | "My daughter didn't go school - every child has to go to school. But it seemed the help we needed failed and collapsed. |
| "We tried psychiatrists, education welfare, we tried everything. We were at the end of our tether. | "We tried psychiatrists, education welfare, we tried everything. We were at the end of our tether. |
| "By this happening, in one sense it's helped. With our daughter where she is now, in care, she's got to go to school." | "By this happening, in one sense it's helped. With our daughter where she is now, in care, she's got to go to school." |
| But he added: "As a family, I think it's been broken up as a unit. | But he added: "As a family, I think it's been broken up as a unit. |
| "If we'd had more moral support off school, the education welfare, if they'd given us a bit more feedback... I don't think we'd have had the problem. | "If we'd had more moral support off school, the education welfare, if they'd given us a bit more feedback... I don't think we'd have had the problem. |
| Finding the curriculum irrelevant is one cause of truanting | Finding the curriculum irrelevant is one cause of truanting |
| "As soon as we came out of prison, everybody's willing to help us." | "As soon as we came out of prison, everybody's willing to help us." |
| The Welsh truancy figures due to be released later will look at both unauthorised or unexplained absences from school, and authorised absence from parents taking their children on holiday during term-time. | The Welsh truancy figures due to be released later will look at both unauthorised or unexplained absences from school, and authorised absence from parents taking their children on holiday during term-time. |
| Experts on truancy say some of the main reasons for truancy are bullying, failing to find the curriculum relevant to their lives, or falling behind with work because they find it too difficult. | Experts on truancy say some of the main reasons for truancy are bullying, failing to find the curriculum relevant to their lives, or falling behind with work because they find it too difficult. |
| Questions remain over the use of jailing parents in extreme cases. | Questions remain over the use of jailing parents in extreme cases. |
| A survey of professionals working in the field carried out by leading truancy expert Professor Ken Reid from Swansea Institute of Higher Education, found only 4% believe jailing parents is an effective way of tackling truancy. | A survey of professionals working in the field carried out by leading truancy expert Professor Ken Reid from Swansea Institute of Higher Education, found only 4% believe jailing parents is an effective way of tackling truancy. |