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Letting Children be Children
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This Review was asked to consider outlining some principles and definitions of excessive commercialisation and premature sexualisation, which could be used to help shape practice and regulation. We discussed this in detail with contributors, and considered the work already done by academics and experts to develop such definitions. The previous reviews of this area (Byron 2008 and 2010; Papadopoulos; DCSF/DMCS 2009) provide a comprehensive exposition of this work. The conclusion of this Review is that parents are the experts in deciding whether something is appropriate for their child and in discussing this with their children as they grow up. The most effective way to ensure that broadcasting, advertising, goods and services are appropriate for children is to pay closer attention to parents’ views rather than develop complicated and contested, definitions of commercialisation and sexualisation
Who we involved
11.
This Review has taken as its starting point the recent assessment led by Professor David Buckingham, the reviews led by Professor Tanya Byron and by Dr Linda Papadopoulos and an update by Professor Ann Phoenix commissioned for this Review (Phoenix, 2011). However, it also addresses the issue from the perspective of parents. We have had a huge response to the Review from parents and members of the public, and have heard from a large number of businesses and charities (Figure 1)
Figure 1 Contributors to this review
- Nearly 1000 parents completed our online Call for Evidence
- Another 1,025 parents of 5-16 year olds and 520 children and young people aged 7-16 took part in a face to face nationally representative omnibus survey.
- 70 parents took part in qualitative research, including interviews and focus groups.
- 522 children and young people took part in a survey organised by the Office for the Children’s Commissioner for England and Amplify, their Children and Young People advisory Group.
- Facilitated by the National Children’s Bureau, the Children and Youth Board of the Department for Education held a session to discuss the Review, and submitted their conclusions to Reg Bailey.
- 120 organisations and businesses provided written submissions to our Call for Evidence.
- Over 40 organisations and experts had individual meetings with Reg Bailey.
- Numerous members of the public rang, e-mailed and wrote to the team to share their views.
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