11 Million
Went to the Wessex Community Action Lecture in Salisbury last week. A challenging talk by Sir Al Ainsley Green – the Children’s Commissioner. His basic thesis was that adults either sentimentalise children and young people – wrap them up in cotton wool and try to stop them getting a life – or demonise them – and he produced plenty of evidence fromt he press on the latter. The one thing we seem to be unable to do is to treat them as fellow human beings!
Sir Al is right – we do have a very strange attitude to children and young people in this country at the moment – and to be honest not a very healthy attitude. He gave us two challenges. Firstly to give children and young people space to enjoy life without feeling that someone is continually on their back. Secondly to value children and young people and the massive contribution they make currently to society which could be so much greater if only we learnt to listen and heed what they have to say.
