NSW Premier Morris Iemma has announced tough new measures to improve safeguards that ensure NSW children are enrolled and attending school.

School attendance is a key indicator in the overall welfare of the state’s children, and helps identify children at risk.

“We want to give our children every opportunity in life. The key building blocks are undoubtedly good parenting and a good education,” Mr Iemma said.

“The Government’s latest measures target parental responsibility.

“Parents have an obligation to ensure their children attend school.

“That’s why we will take action against parents who fail to either enrol their children, or ensure they attend class.

“The Government is taking action to encourage and assist – and even compel parents where necessary – when their children are not showing up at school.

“Magistrates will be given new options to make special orders against problem parents if their children are regularly missing from class.”

The new laws will:

  • Allow independent medical experts to assess if a child is “too sick” to be enrolled at school, not simply rely on the advice of the parents;
  • Give new powers to the Department of Education and Training to seek a court order to force a parent to enrol their child;
  • Ensure that children who are too sick to attend school receive instruction at home;
  • Allow court orders to be issued against parents of children who fail to attend school, forcing the responsible adults into drug rehabilitation, mediation or other forms of counselling and family support;
  • Allow the Children’s Court to make orders for the child to attend school, or enrol in counselling services - where parents can prove to the Court they have done everything in their power to comply with school requirements;
  • Provide legal protection to government agencies, neighbours, medical professionals or members of the community who inform the Department of Education if they suspect a child is not attending school;
  • Require non-Government schools to advise the Department of unsatisfactory attendance or non-enrolment; and
  • Mean parents who disobey court orders over school attendance can be prosecuted – potentially receiving jail sentences as a last resort for repeatedly defying school attendance rulings.

“It is compulsory for every child between the ages of six and 15 to attend school,” Mr Iemma said.

“Proper school attendance gives our kids the best opportunities in life, and helps make them valuable contributors to the wider community.

“The vast majority of parents do the right thing and make sure their child is at school every day.

“These laws will make sure the Government can act swiftly and effectively to deal with the small minority of parents whose children are not attending school.

“We know that missing school can be the first sign of wider problems, when it comes to the welfare of NSW kids.

“While teachers are not social workers – missing class can be a warning sign of neglect, behavioural problems, crime or safety concerns.

“Schools will now have the support they need to get their students back into class – where they belong, where they can be protected, and where they can develop and thrive.”