‘Cruel and unnecessary’ school absence fines should end, Motherland star says

Motherland star Anna Maxwell Martin has called fines for school absences “cruel and unnecessary” as she backed parents campaigning for them to be scrapped.

The actor has said families of “vulnerable children” who face school attendance difficulties should not be fined and prosecuted.

Maxwell Martin will join parent campaigners to deliver a petition – which has received more than 290,000 signatures – to Downing Street on Tuesday which says families should be protected from “harm”.

“What does improve outcomes for young people facing difficulty is meeting their needs at the point of need.”

School absence fines in England rose from £60 to £80 in 2024, and a parent who receives a second fine for the same child within a three-year period now receives a £160 fine.

If the child is off school three or more times within the same period, parents may be taken to court and they could face a fine of up to £2,500, a community order or a jail sentence.

The former Conservative government announced the hike in fines in 2024 as part of a drive to boost school attendance since the pandemic.

Parents Susan Liverman and Maddie Roberts, founders of the No School Fines campaign, launched the petition on Change.org in 2022 after they had experienced threats of fines and prosecution while their children were on long waiting lists for special educational needs and disabilities (Send) support.

Ms Liverman, from Northamptonshire, said “As a parent it felt like we were falling between cracks between systems – and the stress of realising we could be fined as a family just worsened a situation that was already impacting my own mental health.

“That was five years ago, and I can still remember the feelings of fear and shame – and promising myself that I would do my best to stop this from happening to other families.”

Ms Roberts, from Bedfordshire, said: “There is so much pressure when absences are unauthorised. There is nowhere to go; you’re just lost. You feel like you’re failing as a parent.”

A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said: “We inherited a Send system under immense strain, with families waiting months for support, and poor outcomes for children. Our once-in-a-generation reforms will change that.

“Backed by £4 billion investment, we are already taking action to transform the system – backing schools to improve inclusion, widening access to specialist support and rolling out training for every teacher.

“Whilst fixed penalty notices continue to have a vital place in our system, schools should take a support first approach for children who are facing barriers to regular school attendance.”