The BBC reports on research for the DCSF about parents concerns and hopes:
There was great concern about children’s safety. Parents felt the lack of a safe environment had greatly curtailed the freedom they could give their children to get out and about, explore and learn to take responsibility for themselves.
Causes included a widening gun, drug, knife and gang culture, more paedophiles and terrorists, violent attitudes, bad language and overtly sexual dress in even young girls.
They saw “a grim reflection of the UK on television, particularly on mainstream drama”.
So they could “over-parent” or give up and accept their children being disrespectful and talking back.
In terms of a wish list the parents were looking for:
- funding to create and extend family friendly places
- resources to help make local parks, community areas and neighbourhoods safe (and free)
- innovative thinking about existing buildings and their potential use
- supervision for areas already available
- strategic thinking about making the UK more family-friendly
As always I like looking at the source material as well as the way the media pick things up and the DCSF have helpfully published the paper here.
Here are a couple of the findings:
Interestingly, alcohol abuse was rarely mentioned, although some parents and carers complained about the glamorisation of alcohol. They felt the danger from drug, knife and gang culture to be much more serious, particularly when they saw drug addicts roaming near or in the area they lived. Their perception of an ‘unsafe environment’ was particularly the fault of the permeation of drugs, and the way in which it altered the behaviour and values of those using them.
It’s the druggies, they’re everywhere. We’ll have taken the kids over to the park for a picnic, and they’ll be there. I don’t’ know why they can’t do something about them. This wouldn’t happen in Ireland”
(Father, Family Depth, eldest child in KS2, South London)
[page 56]
As mentioned in other sections above, unknown friends were also a worry to parents and carers. They argued that it was impossible to be certain who their children were with when they were out, and that friends of friends were a particular concern (since their children were more likely to trust them and let their guard down).
“So far it’s been OK, but we know there’s pressure with drugs and that, and it’s just whether she talks to us or not about it”
(Mothers, 35-45, eldest child in KS 3/4, C2D(E), Worcester Pk)
[page 63]
Filed under: Well-being, parents , Childhood Wellbeing
No surprise that alcohol was not seen as a major threat, as this is one of the key problems we have in the UK with regard to identifying the dangers of our best loved drug. From Govt. initiatives to create a cafe culture (London speak for boozers open longer), to drug education programmes that continue to focus too much on the class A road crash drugs, we struggle to recognise the cross class, cross age problems which alcohol creates, as well as the good times it can facilitate. Until we identify honestly the substance blindness which we have as a society, we will not be able to adequately respond to the situation in front of us. Check out the story on normative education in the US above for a further reflection.
I speak as a social drinker, occasionally tempted into looser behaviours!