Straw puts parents in charge

Straw puts parents in charge

Police and probation officers yesterday gave cautious backing to to controversial measures by Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, to make parents legally responsible for controlling the behaviour of their children. Mr Straw will unveil plans on Wednesday for parents of juvenile tearaways to be ordered by the courts to take them to school to prevent them playing truant. Parents could be forced to impose curfews on their children to stop them roaming the streets and undergo training in parenting. The measures will be included in the forthcoming Crime and Disorder Bill.

John Hicks, who chairs the Association of Chief Officers of Probation, said: "Parents should, of course, be responsible for their children, but they must also have constructive support if alone they are unable to cope with the huge problems and stresses that an errant child can create." - Colin Brown