MORE THAN 400 parents across Worcestershire were fined during the last academic year for failing to send their child to school.
Figures obtained by the BBC showed that in 2016/17 the county council had handed out 442 penalty notices to parents who took their child on unauthorised holidays or failed to check they turned up to school.
A total of £23,220 was made from fines and the county council confirmed the money was used for the prosecutions’ work and the legal support costs.
On average six penalties were issued per 1,000 children in Worcestershire.
Fines across England and Wales amounted to about £24million.