THERE has been an increase in the number of parents prosecuted by the city council over their children’s truancy in Glasgow schools in the last year - and it's costing the local authority thousands of pounds.

Glasgow City Council raised a total of 206 prosecutions against parents in 2017 over failure to send their children to school.

Figures obtained exclusively by The Evening Times under the Freedom of Information Act also revealed that the external legal costs for the local authority for prosecutions raised in 2017 was £86,136. There was also court fees of £7,416.

In 2016, 148 prosecutions were raised against parents with the local authority footing a legal bill of £116,400 plus £5,328 for court fees.

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The figures mean that there has been a marked increase in the number of parents landing themselves in the dock over failure to send their child to school.

The Evening Times has witnessed many of these prosecutions at Glasgow Sheriff Court with parents citing a variety of reasons for their children’s failure to go to school.

Sheriffs have handed out a variety of disposals including admonishing parents and handing them fines.

We also previously reported on a parent, who could not be named for legal reasons, blaming their child’s sleeping pattern on the truancy.

Glasgow City Council, however, expect city pupils to attend school during term time unless they are ill or have been authorised to attend appointments.

The local authority says it works with parents to resolve issues and puts plans in place to improve attendance.

The Evening Times understands that staff in city schools do all they can to manage a child’s attendance issues but it often depend on the child’s individual and family circumstances.

There is no marked figure for schools for when a child’s attendance is considered an issue as it depends on each individual case.

Glasgow City Council say they will only consider prosecution as a last resort and only after a final warning letter from the their legal services has been sent to the parent.

If this makes a difference in their child’s attendance, then the local authority hold off and monitor the attendance for a further few months.

If there is no improvement, then they have no alternative but to proceed to court.

Court is the only option in Scotland as local authorities do not have the power to fine parents.

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They need to prosecute in the sheriff court and if the parent disagrees a trial will be fixed.

In England, councils can fine parents £60 and if the parent fails to pay they will be prosecuted.

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “Attendance is at an all-time high across Glasgow and is a key priority in our schools.

“If children are not in school they are not learning.

“Schools, pupils and parents all have an important part to play in making sure attendance levels are maintained throughout the school term – including the run-up to any holidays.”

Scotland’s largest teaching union said local authorities have a duty to act when a child is not attending school.

A spokeswoman for the EIS said: “There is a statutory requirement for all children to be educated, either in a school or home setting.

“Where children are not attending school, local authorities have a duty to act to ensure that all young people have access to an education, as is also their human right.

“In cases where children are not attending school and are not being home educated, this can have serious implications for the young person concerned and for their future life chances.”