Motherland star Anna Maxwell Martin has described fines for school absences as "cruel and unnecessary" as she lends her support to parents campaigning for them to be scrapped.
The actor said families of "vulnerable children" who face school attendance difficulties should not be fined or prosecuted. Maxwell Martin will join parent campaigners on Tuesday to deliver a petition to Downing Street, which has gathered more than 290,000 signatures and argues families should be protected from "harm".
Star's criticism of fines
Maxwell Martin said: "Fining and prosecuting vulnerable children and their families for non attendance is cruel and unnecessary and most importantly doesn't work in improving attendance figures."
She added: "What does improve outcomes for young people facing difficulty is meeting their needs at the point of need."
Rise in fines and legal consequences
School absence fines in England rose from £60 to £80 in 2024, and a parent who receives a second fine for the same child within a three-year period now receives a £160 fine. If a child is off school three or more times within the same period, parents may be taken to court and could face a fine of up to £2,500, a community order or a jail sentence.
The former Conservative government announced the increase in fines in 2024 as part of a drive to boost school attendance since the pandemic.
Campaign origins and parent experiences
Parents Susan Liverman and Maddie Roberts, founders of the No School Fines campaign, launched the petition on Change.org in 2022 after they had experienced threats of fines and prosecution while their children were on long waiting lists for special educational needs and disabilities (Send) support.
Ms Liverman, from Northamptonshire, said: "As a parent it felt like we were falling between cracks between systems – and the stress of realising we could be fined as a family just worsened a situation that was already impacting my own mental health. That was five years ago, and I can still remember the feelings of fear and shame – and promising myself that I would do my best to stop this from happening to other families."
Ms Roberts, from Bedfordshire, said: "There is so much pressure when absences are unauthorised. There is nowhere to go; you're just lost. You feel like you're failing as a parent."
Government response
A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said: "We inherited a Send system under immense strain, with families waiting months for support, and poor outcomes for children. Our once-in-a-generation reforms will change that."
The spokesperson added: "Backed by £4 billion investment, we are already taking action to transform the system – backing schools to improve inclusion, widening access to specialist support and rolling out training for every teacher. Whilst fixed penalty notices continue to have a vital place in our system, schools should take a support first approach for children who are facing barriers to regular school attendance."
