PARENTS could be hit with £50 on-the-spot fines or made to attend parenting classes from next week if their children play truant.

The penalty notices are a bid to crack down on repeat offenders and would only be served for continued unauthorised absence from Worcestershire's school.

However, the county council warned that they could act as an "early intervention" method to avoid families falling into "bad habits".

The fines would work alongside - rather than replace - the existing system of advice and support that schools offer parents of truanting children.

Under the plans, the council, police or headteachers could also apply for a parenting order to make adults attend classes to help them improve their child's behaviour.

Worcestershire County Council's cabinet will vote on the plans, which form part of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, on Monday.

"Penalty notices would only be used as an option when dealing with parents that regularly fail to ensure their children are in school and therefore missing out on the education they need," said Steve Wilkinson, principal education welfare officer.

"They can be used as an early intervention tool to stop parents and pupils getting into bad habits where attendance is concerned."

"We still have other options, usually home visits and advice, guidance and support for pupils and parents.

"This is our preferred route to ensuring regular attendance, but at the other end of the scale there is prosecution through magistrates courts and the most severe action would still be available to us."

Headteachers across Worcestershire disapproved of the plans when they were first announced by the Government last year, with Christopher Whitehead's Neil Morris calling them "Draconian".

In Worcestershire, attendance is above the national average, but prosecutions for non-attendance rose from 79 in 1999/00 to 189 last academic year.

If the plans are agreed, the effect of the fines will be reviewed after six months.