Huge numbers of children are being criminalised and discriminated against, a report has warned.

Britain's four Children's Commissioners say young people are unfairly viewed as yobs.

They condemned the "punitive" youth justice system and warned that children feel increasingly unsafe, drink more alcohol and face more pressure at school than elsewhere in Europe.

In a damning report to the United Nations, the commissioners found that millions of children were being denied their rights.

The commissioners' verdict formed part of the regular monitoring of how different countries have implemented the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

It said: "The fact that we exist is evidence of some progress since the UN's second periodic report was considered in 2002, when only Wales had a Children's Commissioner.

"However, unfortunately, we have to report that, not only do some of the committee's concluding observations of 2002 still lack any effective implementation, but some things have actually got worse.

"We would cite developments in juvenile justice and public attitudes towards children and young people as examples of this."

The commissioners were particularly scathing about the growing use of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (Asbos), especially the public "naming and shaming" of youths who have been issued with the orders.

"We have serious concerns about the harm and stigmatisation that could result," they said.

The commissioners also condemned the "discrimination" against children enshrined in some laws and prevailing public attitudes.

They called for a total ban on smacking and attacked the Westminster Government for ignoring the views of children and professionals in refusing to outlaw such "violence".

"We believe there has been an increase in discrimination against children as a whole," they said.

"This is exemplified by the growing use of the 'Mosquito' device, a privately marketed product that issues a high frequency noise generally only heard by those under the age of 25.

"This device is used to repel teenagers from public places and indiscriminately impacts on children's use and enjoyment of these spaces and highlights the intolerance of children in the UK."

The Government has not endorsed the mosquito but has done nothing to ban the device, the report said.

Despite the findings of the report, Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said the Government was "100 per cent committed" to improving children's wellbeing.

She said: "Over the course of this Government more than 600,000 children have been lifted out of poverty, almost 3,000 children's centres have been built and school funding has been increased by 87 per cent."

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