Parents of naughty children 'must face court'

Schools in UK were told they must take parents of persistently naughty children to court.

Ministers said they want headteachers to make use of parenting orders - which can force parents to make their children behave, or face fines of up to £1,000.

Under an order, parents can be told to make sure their child does not stay up late, cannot drink alcohol at home, and goes to school on time.

Schools minister Vernon Coaker said it was time for parents to be "held accountable" for their child's behaviour.

A Bill currently making its way through Parliament will require all parents to sign up to behaviour contracts - known as Home School Agreements - once their child is accepted at school.

If a child continually misbehaves, a school can apply to the courts for a parenting order.

According to government figures, no parenting orders for behaviour were issued between September 2004 and August 2008.

But ministers said heads should be using the powers.

Mr Coaker said: "For heads to have the power to take court action against parents whose children continue to behave badly, disrupt lessons and impact on other pupils is a vital step in the right direction."

Speaking at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) annual conference in Manchester yesterday, Schools Secretary Ed Balls said: "Heads have not felt sufficiently confident legally that courts will support them if they applied for a parenting order for behaviour, which is obviously a last resort."

Parenting orders are similar to anti-social behaviour orders, and are usually applied for if a parent fails to live up to their side of a Home School Agreement, or breaks a parenting contract - a voluntary document drawn up between a parent and school.

Orders usually last for 12 months and breaches can lead to prosecution and fines of £1,000.

It can force a parent to attend parenting classes or counselling and include requirements such as: Making sure children do not stay up late; making sure children do not have access to alcohol at home; parents attending meetings at school and making sure children attend school regularly, on time and in the correct uniform.

Sir Alan Steer, the government behaviour tsar recommends that schools use specialist Parent Support Advisers to explain to parents before their child starts at the school their responsibilities in making sure their youngster behaves in class and the stiff penalties they could face if they fail to stick to their side of the deal.

Almost four in 10 (38.6 per cent) of teachers said they have encountered physical aggression in the classroom, with more than a quarter (25.9 per cent) saying the violence was directed at them.