YORK parents are being warned they could go to jail if they fail to send their children to school.

Principal educational social worker at the City of York Council, Mark Smith, said many parents believe it will never happen to them.

However, during the last school year, the council has brought about eight prosecutions and four have been brought already this year.

Mr Smith said: "One of the things we try to exert is that it could happen to you. If you do not engage with us, you could end up in court."

On Friday, the Evening Press reported how Tracy King, from Burnsall Drive, York, ended up in court after her daughter only attended school 59 times out of 155, and was late 34 times during a six-month period.

The mother was given a conditional discharge for six months and told she could have faced a much more serious punishment.

Mr Smith said there were a number of reasons why children failed to go to school, such as bullying, struggling with work, not getting on with teachers and, in some cases, children had jobs during school time.

He said if parents were struggling with truanting children they should firstly speak to the school.

He said: "If parents have problems they should talk to the school, and ask them for an appointment.

They should explain their concerns and find out what the school is able to offer.

"They should show an interest in their child's education and that they value it."

He said parents ended up in court because they failed to respond to contacts made by the council through phone calls and letters.

Court, he said, was a last resort, and the council would only go down that road if there were no other options available to them.

There have been no cases of parents going to jail locally because of failing to get children to school, but a parent was fined £400 in one case.

Mr Smith believes custodial sentences for parents are severe, but that this reflects how important school is. He said: "If you leave school without qualifications your options are limited.

"Prisons are full of people who did not go to school.

"There is a clear link of people who did not go to school and people who are unsuccessful - although it is not an absolute rule."

Updated: 08:51 Wednesday, January 28, 2004