Truancy Sweeps
Everyday over 54,000 pupils miss a day of school without permission an estimated 7.5 million school days are missed each year through truancy. Research shows that these children who are not in school are most vulnerable and are easily drawn into crime and anti-social behaviour and more likely to be unemployed after leaving school. The 2002 MORI Youth Justice survey of young people showed that those who play truant are more likely to offend than those that do not, with two-thirds (65%) of truants having offended compared to less than a third (30%) of those who have not played truant. The link between truancy and crime was also stated in the 2004 MORI Youth Justice Survey.
The Government’s determination to reduce unnecessary absence and tackle truancy saw the start of national co-ordinated truancy sweeps in May 2002. Since then the Department has maintained the momentum of truancy sweeps by conducting national exercises twice a year.
Truancy sweeps are carried out by partnerships of Police Officers and Education Welfare Officers. Truancy Sweeps are also a good way of bringing together a number of agencies in a joint effort to tackle truancy. Under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, the police have powers to pick up (but not arrest) children who are registered at a school and who are playing truant and take them to a designated area or, sometimes, back to school. Generally this power will be used through occasional 'sweeps' where Police and Education Welfare Officers join forces for a day and target particular areas for example in shopping centres.
We know that the majority of Local Authorities (LAs) are well established in running truancy sweeps throughout the year, planning in advance with the police, agreeing dates that are suitable to both the Education Welfare Service and the police. After careful consideration the Department has decided to cease coordinating and collecting data for national truancy sweeps. The Autumn 2006 data collection will be the final data published by the Department. However, our expectations are that LAs will continue to raise awareness to the importance of school attendance and continue to plan and run truancy sweeps throughout the year, organising them for times which suit local needs and operational pressures.
School Attendance and Exclusions Sweeps Effective Practice and Advice - This supercedes 'Truancy Sweep Effective Practice and Advice' and is for local authorities and others involved in attendance and exclusion sweeps.
Data from the previous sweeps show that, of 125,743 pupils stopped, 41% of them were truanting and 38% of those truants were with an adult. (A break down of this data can be found at the links below).
Truancy Sweep Data Autumn 2002 - Autumn 2003 - Data collected from national truancy sweeps and shown by Government Office Region
Truancy Sweep Data Spring 2004 - Data collected from national truancy sweeps and shown by Government Office Region
Truancy Sweep Data Autumn 2004 - Data collected from national truancy sweeps and shown by Government Office Region
Truancy Sweep Data Spring 2005 - Data collected from national truancy sweeps and shown by Government Office Region
Truancy Sweep Data Autumn 2005 - Data collected from national truancy sweeps and shown by Government Office Region
Truancy Sweep Data Spring 2006 - Data collected from national truancy sweeps and shown by Government Office Region
Truancy Sweep Data Autumn 2006 - Data collected from national truancy sweeps and shown by Government Office Region
NFER National Findings on Truancy Sweeps - Evaluation of truancy sweep follow-ups. A summary of approaches made by seven local authorities
