Removal of Truants to Designated Premises

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs/truancy.html

Section 16 empowers a police officer to take a child or young person whom s/he has reasonable cause to believe is compulsory school age and is absent from school without lawful authority, back to school or another place designated by the local education authority (LEA). The child or young person must be in a public place.

This power can be used when:

• the LEA has designated a place for the purpose of this provision;

• the LEA has notified the chief officer of police for that area; and

• a police officer of superintendent rank or above has specified an area and time period in which this power can be used.

The power applies only to those children and young people who are pupils registered at a school. It does not apply to children and young people educated at home who, quite lawfully, are out and about, alone or accompanied, during school hours.

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