TWO mums have appeared in court after failing to make sure their children went to school.
Single parent Denise Breward was prosecuted by education officials at Hartlepool Borough Council after three of her children missed almost 100 school days in just four months.
And Jacqueline McNeilly, also a single parent, appeared at Hartlepool M
agistrates Court after her 15-year-old son refused to go to school.
Education officials at the council became concerned over attendance levels for Breward's two primary school-aged children and her teenage son.
Her 14-year-old son did not attend Hartlepool's pupil referal unit, based at Brierton Community School, once in 53 school days between early March and June 10.
His attendance has risen slightly over the last two weeks. But his level for this school year is just 13 per cent – way below the minimum 85 per cent target, the court heard.
Breward, 34, was also charged with not making sure her five and six-year-old children attended Owton Manor Primary School, in Hartlepool.
Between March 3 and July 19, the youngsters missed 20 days and 19 days of school respectively without permission.
Their attendances have since improved to more than 90 per cent.
Adrian Morris, mitigating for Breward, of Kintra Road, Hartlepool, said: "She accepts full responsibility in relation to the offences.
"She is determined to work with family intervention and other agencies to make sure her children get a proper education."
She previously told the court she had let things slide after her mother died.
McNeilly, 40, found herself in court after her 15-year-old son missed 33 days of school in five months between October last year and April without permission.
The court heard his attendance has continued to slide and currently stands at just 3.7 per cent for the whole school year so far.
Magistrates heard how McNeilly, of Braemer Road, Hartlepool, has suffered from depression due to mounting debts and the death of both of her parents.
Barry Gray, mitigating, said: "She felt guilty about these matters which made things even worse and she buried her head in the sand."
Magistrate Keith Kitching gave both mums 12-month community orders with supervision to work with professional agencies.
He told McNeilly: "You haven't had an easy time. But you have got to take some responsibility for your children."
And he told Breward: "I don't believe sending you to prison will achieve anything, you need help and assistance."
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