A landmark report out today from The Children’s Society has claimed that the aggressive pursuit of personal success by adults is now the “greatest threat” to the nation’s children.
The “A Good Childhood” report claims that many of the problems affecting young people today have their roots in “excessive individualism” and “the belief among adults that the prime duty of the individual is to make the most of their own life, rather than contribute to the good of others”.
Such problems include a high rate of family break-ups, teenage unkindness, commercial pressures towards premature sexualisation, “unprincipled” advertising, competition in education, and acceptance of income inequality.
The report is the outcome of the Good Childhood Inquiry, the UK’s first independent national inquiry into childhood commissioned by The Children’s Society and conducted over three years by a team of eleven experts.
Its findings are based on interviews with more than 30,000 children, adults and professionals.
The report’s author, Lord Richard Layard, said, “Our evidence showed clearly how stressful life has become for many children in all social classes. We identified a common thread in these problems, which is the excessive individualism in our culture. This needs to be reversed, and children to learn that being of use to others is ultimately more satisfying than an endless struggle for status.”
The report claims that the number of children experiencing significant emotional or behavioural difficulties rose from eight per cent in 1974 to 16 per cent today and that children with step parents or a single parent are 50 per cent more likely to suffer short-term problems with academic achievement, self-esteem, depression or anxiety.
While 70 per cent of children agree that “parents getting on well is one of the most important factors in raising happy children”, only 30 per cent of parents agree with the statement.
