Parents who fail to stop their children drinking in public could be prosecuted in a drive by ministers to prevent drunken youths marauding the streets.....

The move will be unveiled tomorrow as part of a raft of measures designed to curb binge-drinking among teenagers and children as young as 10.
Youths who regularly drink alcohol in public will be committing an offence under new legislation.

Police will also be handed tougher powers to disperse gangs of youngsters congregating in the street and other popular hangouts like parks and bus shelters.

It will see teenagers persistently possessing alcohol in public subjected to anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) and acceptable behaviour contracts.
Their parents will be hit by similar orders and contracts - including the requirement to attending parenting courses - if they fail to get their children to change their ways.

Ultimately, they could be prosecuted.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said professionals would be called in where parents were unable to handle their offspring.

She said: "Parents must play their role too. I want to see greater use of parenting orders and parenting contracts and anti-social behaviour orders when young people are caught persistently drinking in public.

"If parents and children need to meet a trained worker to get them back on the right track then so be it."

The approach will be spelt out in an action plan to be released by Ms Smith together with Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls and Heal