A mother receiving Universal Credit has been taken to court in Staffordshire due to her two daughters' poor school attendance. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, faced magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre. The court heard that her younger daughter had a 73% attendance rate at primary school, while her older sister's secondary school attendance plummeted to just 31% during spring last year.
Previous Conviction
The mother had already been convicted at an earlier hearing for failing to ensure the older girl attended school regularly between February 28 and May 8, 2025, and the younger girl between March 20 and June 17, 2025.
Prosecution Details
Lucy Daniels, prosecuting for Staffordshire County Council, told the court: "During the period of offence for the older girl, out of 78 occasions she was absent 54 times, all unauthorised. For the younger girl, out of 94 occasions, she was absent 25 times, 20 of which were unauthorised. There has been a decline in attendance for both children. The older girl attended on 10 out of 154 sessions, while the younger girl's attendance fell to 58%. These offences are aggravated by three previous convictions and a failure to engage with support officers or attend meetings, causing great harm due to significant missed education."
Defence Argument
David Ellis, defending, explained that the girls' parents separated about four years ago, and their father lives outside Staffordshire. "The two girls live with their mother but regularly see their father at weekends. He does not ensure they return in time for school on Monday. The mother receives Universal Credit and cannot afford to travel to collect them. Additionally, the older girl is strong-willed and, despite the mother's best efforts, refuses to attend school, occasionally assaulting her mother. The mother is very keen for her daughters to be educated. The older girl wants to study art at college, but her poor attendance does not bode well. The younger girl likes school, but this may be learned behaviour from her sister."
The case highlights the challenges faced by low-income families in ensuring regular school attendance.
