Fear of being branded a paedophile preventing people from working with the young

22/10/2007

How did our modern society get so confused? A new survey has revealed that older people are scared to work or volunteer with young people "for fear of being branded a paedophile".

The detailed survey, by Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People (SCCYP), found that there was a shortage of adults prepared to take work roles and volunteering posts - largely because they might be accused of harming young people.

Sadly, this same fear also made adults much less likely to help when they saw a young person in danger or distress.

The good news is that adults who do work with young people in structured environments tend to have positive attitudes towards them, and enjoy seeing children and young people develop through their involvement. But people reported much more negative attitudes to meeting young people in informal groups - especially in large groups on the street. According to the report, fears were largely fuelled by media reporting rather than people's first-hand knowledge of young people.

Other concerns included fear of young people themselves, and concerns about bureaucracy and the culture of litigation. Men in particular reported being afraid of being falsely accused of being a paedophile which they described as "the worst thing imaginable" - and they were also disproportionately less likely to approach a lost child and try to help.

Kathleen Marshall from SCCYP who commissioned the report said: "Young people consistently tell us they want safe and fun things to do and that their anti-social behaviour is a result of a shortage of opportunities for 'social behaviour'.

"The activities they want to take part in need adults to volunteer and support them - and this report shows exactly why that isn't happening. We need to help bridge the divide between the generations and establish a framework for attractive activities that are stimulating, safe and fun for all involved."