Research from Barnado's

This is troubling.

Yesterday Barnado's released the results from some interesting research they had conducted in conjunction with YouGov.

The research showed that....

• just under half (49%) of people believe that children are increasingly a danger to each other and adults
• 43% agree something has to be done to protect us from children
  
• 45% think that children are feral in the way they behave
  

Meanwhile a survey conducted amongst 393 of Barnardo’s young people (aged between 10 and 23) – just over half of whom have been in trouble – revelead that most of them thought that young people get into trouble because of boredom and peer pressure.

• 44% said bad behaviour is encouraged when the media portrays their peers as misbehaving
• 84% said young people get into trouble because of boredom
• 88% said having more things to do and places to go might stop young people getting into trouble
• 32% would go to friends for help if they were in trouble 

Certainly the fact that 45% of people would use a term like 'feral' to describe the behaviour of children is worrying, but the results also make it clear that the young people Barnado's polled believe that having more things to do would stop them being bored and getting into trouble. Perhaps more organisations should afford young people opportunities and activities rather than demonising them.

What do you think?

Link to the full Barnado's survey (opens in new window)