The party voted in new policies including supporting the return oftraditional house systems, and earlier intervention to tackle disruptivebehaviour.
The party's new education spokesman Ed Davey claimed the Government'sfocus on school standards had removed teachers' pastoral duties. "Thisparty should champion the case for excellent pastoral care," hesaid.
Members advocated wider use of learning support units and greaterefforts to tackle truancy. But young delegate and school pupil ThibautJenkins sounded a note of caution, arguing truancy sweeps "causeconflict between young people and the police".
Party members also voted for anti-social behaviour orders to be appliedmuch more sparingly than they were. Annette Brooke, spokesperson forchildren and families, said every Asbo was "a failure". She added: "Wehave failed to tackle the problems that led to that behaviour."
And the party agreed a five-point plan to improve the tax creditssystem, including writing off overpayments made in error. David Laws'spokesman for work and pensions, called on paymaster general DawnPrimarolo to resign if problems were not sorted out in six months'time.
The conference also saw the spotlight turned on to the new LiberalDemocrat policy for children and families.
- See Analysis, p11.
