A SCHEME aimed at getting truants off the streets is good news all round.

It was pioneered in Blackburn with Darwen during the summer and Hyndburn will be the first district under Lancashire County Council's authority to employ "hit squads."

Police will accompany officials from the education welfare service on tours around the area, tracking down youngsters who should be in school.

The sight of children roaming the streets during school time has become commonplace over the last few years.

Skipping school may seem "cool" to some children. But truants lose out on all counts.

They miss lessons, depriving themselves of knowledge that could stand them in good stead in later life when they need to convince bosses that they are employable; they run the risk of getting into bad company and drifting into a life of crime; they run a further risk of becoming the victims of paedophiles and others from the ranks of society's misfits.

The scheme, which allows unaccompanied children intercepted by the patrols to be returned to school under Section 16 of the new Crime and Disorder Bill, is to be welcomed.

But parents have a crucial part to play.

Some of them are unaware that their children are playing truant. Others either turn a blind eye, or simply don't care.

Recent surveys show that parents have been seen accompanying truants and this was borne out by the experience of Blackburn's patrols during the summer.

Parents questioned came up with a variety of excuses which ranged from keeping their offsprings off school to help in the house to claims that they were not satisfied with the school.

The responsibility for ensuring that children attend school is down to parents. Those who condone truancy are breaking the law.

The scheme is to be applauded. But perhaps we also need hit squads for the minority of irresponsible parents who turn a blind eye to truancy.