Hi,
I anticipate a fine soon for my 14 year old daughters lack of school attendance. I am non resident parent and mother doesnt do enough to get her to school. Kids are on child in need programs but we have spent the last year going in circles and mum still cant get my daughter to go and doesnt see to want to instill boundaries.
Any advice on arguing a fine when I only see my child an hour or two a fortnight and have absolutely no influence in the situation?
Dave
hi,
do you have a court order for child contact? if so, you can show that as proof that your non resident parent and mother is primary carer.
Hi Bill,
I do have a court order however recent changes mean both parents get fined. I am looking for someone who is in a similar situation and been fined so that I can learn from their experiences.
Regards,
Dave
Hi Dave,
I cannot speak from direct experience of school fines, but I can understand your frustration with the situation.
Recognising that you do not have much contact time with your daughter, I would still encourage you to keep making the most of this to build your relationship with her. Look for opportunities to tell her how much you love her and want to support her, and without interrogating her, look for opportunities to listen to anything she is willing to share about how she is feeling. Anxiety about school is sadly not uncommon, and can be really debilitating for young people.
Depending on your contact arrangements, might it also be worth trying to arrange a conversation with the school? Not to apportion blame, but to make sure you understand fully what the school is trying to do to support your daughter, and to see if there is anything else you can be doing to encourage this, albeit from a distance.
It is not easy, but I encourage you to keep working together to find a way forwards. I wish you all the best,
Caravan
Parent Support Worker