This should put paid to the talk of a generation of doom-mongers
WHAT a remarkable achievement. With The Big Ambition, a survey of tens of thousands of youngsters in England, children’s commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza has managed to find out what young people want from the next government.
This gigantic work of research puts paid to all talk of a ‘disenfranchised’ and ‘unresponsive’ generation.
Instead it reveals an admirable willingness to engage with issues – and politicians. While a doom-laden narrative depicts youngsters as depressed and despairing, The Big Ambition finds something far more encouraging: the overwhelming majority feel good about their lives.
They report having what they need, in terms of family and home.
Admittedly, only one in five feels that adults in power are listening to them – but I doubt this was different in any previous generation.
And instead of carping from the sidelines, respondents have come up with solutions, ranging from more after- school activities to address youth crime, to more community facilities for forging friendships.
But while their children show huge initiative and a go-getting spirit, the thousands of parents who took part in the survey betray growing anxieties. In almost every area, their answers were more negative than those of their children.
They worry about their sons’ and daughters’ safety, health and wellbeing. Unsurprisingly, these fretful mums and dads describe raising children as deeply challenging. Then there’s the cost of living, social media harms and faltering health and social services. Who could blame them for feeling overwhelmed?
Previous generations struggled with economic crashes, school bullies, inadequate support for conditions that in many cases remained unidentified – but parents back then approached child-rearing with greater confidence.
nowadays they are assailed with fears which they project on to their offspring. The crucial difference, surely, lies in parental expectations.
EARlIER generations did not see their role as protecting children from every setback, unhappy incident or bruising exchange. Parents understood that life had ups and downs, and believed what was expected was to steer their child through them. In navigating those choppy waters, they could rely on a set of strong institutions – schools, church and neighbourhood groups.
Today, parents believe their role is to shield, not steer. A shocking one in three doesn’t think their children need to attend school on a daily basis, while parishes and community groups struggle for survival.
Parents today believe their offspring should never face defeat, discomfort or a loss. Thank goodness children know better. Cristina Odone is head of the family policy unit at the Centre for Social Justice.