News
Survey reveals biggest fears for parents
Thursday 28 July 2011
Parents biggest fear for their children is that they will be a victim of knife crime, a survey by ParentLine Scotland reveals today.
Over half (51%) of parents who responded to a ParentLine Scotland survey said they were worried about their child or teenager getting hurt by someone carrying a knife.
Parents and carers said they were also worried about:
- who their child was hanging out with (48%)
- their child not coming home on time (44%)
- their child drinking alcohol (39%).
The survey, which forms part of ParentLine Scotland's summer campaign, follows on from the launch of an initiative in conjunction with the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) offering advice and support to the parents worried their child may be drinking, fighting or using weapons. The initiative forms part of the alcohol and weapons phase of this year's VRU Anti-Violence Campaign. CHILDREN 1ST, the charity which runs ParentLine Scotland, has shared the findings of the survey with the Minister for Community Safety.
Jill Cook, Helpline Manager at ParentLine Scotland, said: "Our survey shows just how concerned parents are about the risks to their children, particularly in relation to knife crime. Although actual experiences of knife crime are low, it is still a scenario that parents fear as it is something they feel they have no control over and the consequences for their child can be severe.
"We know the Scottish Government plans to roll out the No Knives Better Lives campaign around the country - we support this campaign and would encourage them to pick up the pace so that every community and family can be reassured that everything is being done to protect children and young people.
"It is important too that parents know where to go to talk through any concerns they might have about a young person in their family. ParentLine Scotland offers free confidential advice and support for anyone with a concern about a child or young person and offers specific advice for parents who are worried about knife crime. ParentLine can be contacted on 0800 028 2233 or parentlinescotland@children1st.org.uk."
The initiative is supported by posters and leaflets which have distributed for use by police forces across Scotland. They are also available online at both the ParentLine Scotland and VRU websites or you can view the leaflet here.
Chief Inspector Graham Goulden, who leads the campaign on behalf of the VRU, said: "New guidelines on knife carrying recently introduced by the Lord Advocate mean we are clamping down harder than ever on this kind of behaviour. We know knife crime is something that worries parents. For the vast majority, there will be no cause for concern - this is something that, most likely, will never impact on them. But that doesn't stop people worrying, which is why the service provided by ParentLine Scotland - listening and supporting parents and carers - is so important."
The Anti-Violence Campaign, which started on June 1, has seen forces across Scotland working with a variety of partners to tackle weapons carrying and problem drinking, using tactics including:
- Increased use of stop and search in known hotspot areas.
- Deploying patrols with hand held metal detectors within known violence hotspot areas.
- Using bail conditions to prevent offenders from recommitting acts of violence.
- Using knife/weapons intervention visits/letters for prolific knife/weapons carriers.
- Using bail conditions to prevent offenders from returning to licensed premises or hot spot areas.
- Ends-
Notes for editors
- 250 parents and carers took part in the survey.
- The ParentLine / VRU initiative forms part of the alcohol and weapons phase of this year's VRU Anti-Violence Campaign, which will run from 1 June - 31 July. This will be followed later in the year by a domestic abuse phase. Forces across Scotland will take part in the campaign.
- Posters and leaflets accompanying the initiative will be available online at
- ParentLine Scotland is a free helpline and email service foranyone concerned about a child. ParentLine Scotland can be contacted on 0800 028 2233 or by emailing parentlinescotland@children1st.org.uk.
Last updated: Thursday 28 July 2011
