Truancy

17.

Mr. Greenway
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, under his proposals stemming from the Warnock committee's report, he will consider including the persistent truant as a child in need of special care.

Dr. Boyson
Persistent truancy arises in a variety of circumstances, many of which are unrelated to the main concerns of the Warnock committee. Whilst absence from school continues to be a source of concern to us, local education authorities will need to consider it in a wider context than special education.