Police haul missing pupils from their beds in drive to cut truancy Each morning, police officers are provided with a list of children who have failed to turn up at school without a reasonable explanation. "Of course, if they are off sick or there is a good reason then we don't intervene," said Insp Lange. If they are still in bed we get their parents to wake them up, we put them in the car and deliver them straight to school. Officers are accompanied by an education welfare officer and are working closely in partnership with Wiltshire council and local schools. It is hoped that the operation will help reduce anti-social behaviour in the town and ensure that children are getting their education. Insp Lange said: "The correct place for a child of that age to be is in school. If they are not in school they are more likely to get into trouble. It's not good for anyone to be hanging around, doing nothing all day. Truancy is a recurring problem for a small number of children. They are missing out on their education, and if us waking them up and taking them to school is what is needed, then that is what we will do. So far we have been very pleased with the results. It is early days but we are taking truancy very seriously. It is a real example of a partnership working and getting things done. Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure their children attend school until they are 16. Fixed penalty notices and fines can be issued if parents fail to make sure their children go to school, along with parenting contracts and parenting orders designed to enforce attendance. Elsewhere in the country police forces have mounted "truancy sweeps" on the streets around schools to drive teenagers back into the classroom. Under the scheme police and council education welfare officers stop and question every child of school age they find out of doors - even if they are with an adult. If the youngster has no good reason for missing lessons, officers take them back to school.