Allow school children 5 days of absence: for family, holidays & mental wellbeing

Closed 210 signatures

What the petition asks

Allow school children 5 days of absence each year, to be taken at a time of their choosing, excluding periods of examination.

We believe current penalties for children being absent for reasons other than sickness are unfair, especially fines, which disproportionately impact lower income families.

During the pandemic, children were kept out of school for the protection of their physical health.

However, a child’s development depends on a holistic approach, and their wider wellbeing is of equal importance.

5 days of permitted absence would allow more families to have affordable quality time and experiences together, which could have a lasting positive effect on development and the future generation of workers.

We believe these potential benefits far outweigh the minimal disruption to a child’s education.

Timeline

15 Feb 2023	Petition opened for signatures
15 Aug 2023	Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 210

Status Closed

Department Department for Education

Opened 15 Feb 2023

Closed 15 Aug 2023

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