Paris hyett
How far do you agree Britain today is a child centred society?
Present British society is certainly more child centred than it ever was. Some may argue Britain is a totally child centred society focusing on the needs and protection of children. However this hasn’t always been the case, back to as recent as just before the 20th century children were regarded as ‘little adults’ who could be hanged or punished for crimes, work and behave just the same as adults.
However there was a major change in attitudes starting with the 1870 education act giving children from the ages 5-13 an opportunity for education. As the ‘little adults’ were now attending school rather than being an economic asset to the family-by going out to work- they became a financial responsibility, more of an investment for the parents, a view reinforced by recent statistics showing an average child costs £155.60 a week in the UK. Other social policies devised by the government include the factory acts such as the factory and workshop act of 1901 raising minimum working age to 12 and then consequently up to 16.the 1889 prevention of cruelty to children act was another policy, all these with the combination of recent laws restricting the use of drugs, alcohol, smoking and sex to for under 16s and 18s have sent out the message that children were not the same as adults, needed to be treated differently and above all needed protection.
