Charity sees huge spike in children refusing to go to school 

Parentline has recorded its highest number of calls in September in more than a decade. File picture

Almost as many parents called a national helpline about children refusing to go to school in September this year as called in the entire January-September period last year.

Parentline has recorded its highest number of calls for the month of September (477) in more than a decade. By comparison, there were only 283 last September.