Parental Responsibilities for Truanting Children: An Analysis of the Laws in Australia

Abstract

This paper provides an analysis of Australia's legal provisions and policies regarding truancy. We examine how low frequency truants feature in Australia's truancy law and policy and highlight similarities and differences in the cultural-legal context between Australian states and territories. Similarities include requirements to attend school from about six to 17 years of age and the legal culpability of (predominantly) the parents for children's non-attendance. Differences include little consistency in the threshold at which schools in different Australian states and territories are required to intervene once truancy has been identified and disparities in prosecutions and fines. We conclude that harmonising truancy laws in Australia is likely to increase parental understanding and thereby compliance with school attendance laws.