Adults are growing intolerant of young people in the UK and have an increasingly negative view of them, according to a poll by a children’s charity. More than half of the adult population think British children are beginning to behave like animals and just under half feel they are a danger to society. The poll also shows more than a third feel the streets are “infested” with children and nearly half do not think children in trouble need professional help. Martin Narey, Barnardo’s Chief Executive, said it is appalling the public are referring to children with words such as “animal”, “feral” and “vermin”. “Despite the fact that most children are not troublesome there is still a perception that today’s young people are a more unruly, criminal lot than ever before,” he added. The British Crime Survey shows the public think young people commit up to half of all illegal offences when the actual figure is 12 per cent. Barnardo’s has recently received hundreds of complaints about an internet film it released to challenge the public’s view of negative attitudes towards young people.

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18 October 2008
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