Plans to take a tough new line with parents who allow their children to play truant have been unveiled by a City of York Council.

The council claims its second Behaviour Support Plan, published today, will build on the success it has achieved in cutting the rate of school exclusions and tackling truancy.

The new plan outlines extra action to help schools work effectively with children and young people who might otherwise drop out of school.

Exclusions from city schools have fallen to record lows over the last four years.

Murray Rose, the city's acting assistant education director, said: "There is some excellent practice in city schools and we know that if we can help to share those best practices across the city then we can expect to see truancy rates come down.

"Children only get one go at schooling with their peer group and we want to make sure that they get every bit of help possible to stay in the system rather than watch them fall out of it."

But he added that the council would take a tough line with parents who do not co-operate.

He said: "As a last resort, the council will prosecute parents who fail to send their children to school."

Although truancy levels in York have risen in line with the national trend, work with agencies such as the police and Safer York Partnership has led to a dramatic drop in school-time recorded crime by truants.

This fact was highlighted when the Government awarded the council Beacon status in January.

Updated: 08:31 Thursday, June 07, 2001