Editorial: Children need challenges as they grow up

Aiming High for Young People identifies transport as an issue and saysthat territorialism, "which can make certain places a 'no go' area", andfear of crime are also barriers to take-up of activities.

While the strategy rightly aims to prioritise the safety of children andyoung people, for example, by encouraging local auth-orities to embedthis into their Children and Young People's Plans and Local AreaAgreements, it is also important that children learn to navigate risk,otherwise their aspirations will be severely curtailed when they becometeenagers. If they are scared to use public transport, for instance,they will miss out on opportunities, such as work experience or sport,when they arise. The current policy emphasis on extended schoolsdelivering "things to do" may address barriers in the short term, byproviding a familiar and safe "place to go". But extended schools alsoneed to expose children and young people to the learning experiencesthey need, to accustom them to navigating the new experiences they willface as they grow up. To achieve this, schools could ensure that not allactivities are delivered on site, for example, so that pupils becomeused to different environments, and that school clusters allow youngpeople to mix with peers from other areas.