Half of adults think children are dangerous

mas - 20 November 2008

If you allow your own perceptions to be swayed by a media in the business of making a profit by selling shocking stories the problem lies with you.

Maybe instead you could spend some time thinking about the people you actually meet and pass by every day. Yes there are a few unpleasant people, yes some young people are rowdy on buses, yes their behaviour can be irritating (as can adults). But how many happy children do you see playing in parks, behaving well in supermarkets (but you only noticed the one that screams), how many young people spend their time learning to dance, to play sport, to write music? How many look after their parents, their ill siblings, visit their grandparents?

@Jayne Walker I don't know in what capacity you work with children but I hope its not one that has any influence on their future life because thats a pretty disgusting attitude to have if you do. I look forward to the future with interest and have absolute faith that children and young people today will do a far better job of running society than this or any previous generations.

ZARA HAMID - 20 November 2008

i think we have to remember that these are the views of half the 2,021 people surveyed and not the entire country. i feel that society as a whole has lost its way on this and children are taking the blame for the failures of adults. Most people find it hard to admit that the we have failed the next generation to come and instead of taking positive action to resolve this and give young people respect and places to go to socialise we blame them entirely where instead we should be shouldering the responsibility of caring for our young

Jon Jolly - 20 November 2008

[quote user="kachepa mbewe"]

let any of these guys who disagree with that view get unto the tram or tube any of these evenings and see what we up against. The kids are wild. They know no boundaries at all.

I don't think anyone can deny that SOME young people are anti-social and unruly and these tend to be the most prominent ones who come into the public eye. Rather than being hated and despised, they need better support and stricter boundaries by significant adults and mentors (just read any developmental psychology).

However the vast majority of young people do not behave in this manner and have high hopes and aspirations for the future. They should not be victimised, judged or condemned based on negative stereotyping.

kachepa mbewe - 18 November 2008

let any of these guys who disagree with that view get unto the tram or tube any of these evenings and see what we up against. The kids are wild. They know no boundaries at all.

Stella Harding - 18 November 2008

It is so sad that peoples concept of children is reported to be so negative. I work with young children and carers of young children and would love a more balanced view of children to be reported. Children are very influenced by adults conception of them and I feel this report will knock the self esteem of all those amazingly talented and creative children in our society. When will adults learn about self -fulfilling prophesy - if we label children as animals they are more likely to behave in an unacceptable way. We should value children as valuable citizens in their own right. 'Children are not the people of tomorrow they are people today' \(Korczak, 1924) Let us please celebrate what children of today give to society not focus on the few who have not had the chances to shine and struggle to cope with the pressures of poverty and poor housing that adults have inflicted on them.

Fred Brown - 18 November 2008

I wonder how many people who thought that children 'where beginning to behave like animals' had done any work on animal behaviour?

And I seem to remember that the school ru on the bus always being a pain, and probably being a part of that pain. I suggest either leaving earlier/later or negotiating flexi-time.

It is better during the school holidays though, I have to agree.

If people thin k it's 'frightening'that 'these children' will be running the country- don't worry, they wont- there's another branch of evil, cunning and animal behaviour that has that particular career planned out.

Fred Brown-18th November

Frank Crookenden-Johnson - 17 November 2008

I wonder how accurately this is reported? Do 49% of adults believe that ALL children are a danger to themselves and others, or just SOME children? Do 54% believe that ALL children beginning to behave like animals, or just some?

I do wonder if the third of people who thought that the streets were infested with children a) were ever children themselves and b) believe that children should be locked up in some sort of institution until their 18th birthday, to be released as balanced and mature adults?

Jayne Walker - 17 November 2008

I find it terrifing that the children of today will be running the country in the near future, I do work with children and fear that we will not have a country left. I understand why people think the way they do, especially if they travel by bus in the morning.

Charlotte Goddard - 17 November 2008

Hi Barnabas

According to Barnardo's, the survey was done by YouGov, which interviewed 2,021 UK adults online over the dates 14th-16th October 2008. Results were weighted in order to be nationally representative. It doesn't say if they had contact with children but I imagine the sample was pretty representative.

Charlotte

Barnabas Shelbourne - 17 November 2008

How can we work to change this perception that people have about young people? I think it is a great idea to launch a tv ad campaign and with this in mind could there be more collaberative work with the media to show more positive achievements and contributions of young people. I think that it is sad when people say these things especially as these children are the future generations that will be running things. Two final questions, did the people who were interviewed have any contact with children, through being a parent, teacher etc. Was the poll taken from one particular area where there may have been alot of issues with children?