This paper derives from the author's recent research into disadvantaged children's access to compulsory education in England. Examining the national attendance strategies and practice, the author interrogates the current trend towards a more punitive approach to addressing the problem of school absenteeism while debating the issue of irresponsible parents in terms of parental responsibility. Using the data collected from 150 Local Education Authorities and a survey among Education Welfare managers, the research study reported in this paper measures the association between authorities' readiness to issue penalty notices and the change made in pupils' absence rates between 2004 and 2006. Presenting the findings of the research study, the author argues that truancy is a complex social and historical issue and that poor parenting is itself a symptom of several underlying social problems and the circle of disadvantage. Therefore, the findings of the study call for more efforts and measures to address the underlying social problems and to break the circle of disadvantage of the families that most truanting children come from.