It's the paper's take on plans to spend more on peer mentoring schemes in schools, announced by Children's Secretary Ed Balls during Anti-Bullying Week.
Peer mentoring - where older children are given responsibility for new or younger pupils - helps protect children from the taunts and abuse that can make them desperately unhappy. It encourages pupils to think about their behaviour towards others as well as giving them new skills and confidence and it's been a great success in many schools.
But the Mirror doesn't think much of the idea. "We have our doubts about the well-meaning yet flawed plan to appoint 'Big Brothers' to mediate in conflicts," says the Mirror. "Bullying is a serious issue and requires firm, sensitive intervention by adults, not children." And there's more proof the Mirror doesn't get it as it persists in its attempt to give peer mentors bodyguard status. "There are fears mentors could get involved in fights," reports the paper. It doesn't say where these fears come from though.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
