- Ivona Kemska, 31, was given regime of care to ensure children went to school
- Kemska, from Blackpool, even got free English lessons from her local council
- But she failed to cooperate with help and admitted three child truancy offences
A Polish mother-of-three was given free uniforms, housing benefit and English lessons to stop her children from bunking off school.
Ivona Kemska, 31, from Blackpool, was offered an extensive care package to help lower the truancy levels of her two daughters and son.
The offer included: daily free transport of her children to school, personal support from professionals, a personal employment advisor and basic budgeting help.
She was also given free furniture, youth therapy for her children, young carers for one-to-one work with her youngest daughter and ‘chill out cards’ for the girl, when she needs a break from classes.
Ivona Kemska admitted three offences of failing to ensure a child went to school, at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court
However, despite all this help she failed to cooperate with Blackpool Council’s education authority and put herself in jeopardy of a prison sentence.
Kemska admitted three offences of failing to ensure a child went to school, at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.
The case concerned separated Kemska’s 16 and 13 year old daughters and her 11 year old son who attend the town’s Aspire Academy.
The attendance of the children slumped to as low as 25 per cent in the case of one of the girls.
The court heard that education officials had tried repeatedly to help Kemska who has lived in the UK for eight years.
She has worked in hotels in the Blackpool area and was even sent official letters in her native Polish.
Her youngest daughter had told the education authority that she hated living in Blackpool.
The mother told the court: ‘We have suffered a nightmare with their father and I have told the children I will go to prison if they do not go to school.’
She wept as she was fined £140 with £120 costs and told to pay a £30 victims surcharge.
Magistrates chair David Hearton told her: ‘The package of support you are getting is exceptional.
‘You must co operate or next time you appear before us you might not be going home.’