FEAR of Islam and other religions among parents and children has prompted Hampshire County Council chiefs to draw up a plan for promoting greater understanding.

A report to Councillor David Kirk, the county's executive member for education, says teachers report that a minority of parents are worried about letting their children make educational visits to mosques.

The county currently has a syllabus for religious education called "Living Difference", which promotes engagement with different faiths for young people.

The report said: "If pupils receive negative impressions and judgements from their parents, carers and community leaders, that will impede the experiences available to them.

"At the same time, it is likely to lead to certain pupils becoming vulnerable due to attitudes expressed towards them on the basis of religious adherence or ethnicity."

The report added: "There is some evidence from schools and mosques in Hampshire that parents, children and others are receiving and forming negative impressions of Islam, in particular, and other minority religions in general."

Cllr Kirk has now agreed that Hampshire County Council's children's services department will lead discussions with primary and secondary schools, faith groups and neighbouring departments, about how to achieve effective learning about social cohesion in its schools.

The report highlighted that 93 languages are spoken in Hampshire and the ethnic minority population of those aged under 19 is 5.8 per cent.

The report recommends a project that will promote the aims expressed in "Living Difference" by training those involved with organising visits to places of worship and those involved in procedures such as the youth council and inter-faith forum.