Call to tackle rise in youth violence

THE Government must "step up" its response to the "public health issue" of youth violence, a teaching union chief has said.

- ELEANOR BUSBY Press Association

Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said teachers say mobile phones are "lethal weapons" which pupils are using at school to abuse others and disrupt lessons.

In a speech to the union's annual conference in Liverpool, Mr Roach called for a plan to tackle the "national emergency".

He said: "Youth violence is now a public health issue of our times and we need a national response to it. Restricting pupils' access to mobile phones would be a start, but we need much more than that."

In his final address to the union's conference as general secretary, Mr Roach called for better support for parents to keep children safe, and "robust action" against social media companies and against those who seek to incite others.

The union chief said: "We need Government to step up its response too."