A transcript of the Prime Minister’s podcast following publication of a Home Office-commissioned report on the sexualisation of childhood, recorded on 26 February 2010.
Read the transcriptAs a parent I’ve been reflecting on this week’s sobering report about the sexualisation of childhood, and also the increasing pressures of modern family life.
Every parent knows there’s no greater challenge in the world than being a mum or a dad. But it’s also one of the hardest challenges.
I understand the pressures that mums and dads are under. Those daily demands to get everything done in time: breakfast, getting the kids to school, making sure no one forgets a sports game or a school play; and of course, to fit all this into your own life and work responsibilities.
But these days there’s more than the pressure of time.
Just think of the influences on us when we were at school - the influence of our parents and teachers; perhaps also the Sunday school teacher, or our Scout or Girl Guide leader or a neighbour.
But for a child or young person nowadays there’s also the internet, TV and commercial advertising and merchandising - influences that increasingly feel beyond our control. So it’s even more difficult to be a parent.
Regulating the internet is the responsibility of all of us, and the problems it presents are ones we must address as a society, together.
That is why we decided just over a year ago to bring some of the biggest names in the industry together with government, charities, parents, and children and young people to promote online security.
As a result, UK mobile phone operators have reviewed their code of practice for content on mobiles and I am very proud to say that Britain is now the only country in the world to have a comprehensive internet safety strategy for self-regulation and better education.
And this week’s report on sexualisation is a sharp reminder of some of the worrying products that are out there: Playboy pencil cases, T-shirts that have inappropriate slogans and other clothing completely unsuitable for young girls in particular.
That’s why people talk of the loss of childhood.
So as a Government, we will take every necessary step to protect our children.
We will launch an online one-stop shop’ to let parents report their worries over irresponsible marketing which sexualises children.
We will work with the NSPCC as it makes manufacturers and retailers take far greater responsibility for merchandise which is quite frankly often offensive and harmful.
But even so, modern lifestyles do not make it easy to raise a family and keep every thing on the straight and narrow.
And we must do more to support families. And when they do breakdown we have to do all we can to help them pick up the pieces and rebuild - for their sake and the sake of the community around them. Our Government must be on the side of all families.
Our Family Intervention Projects force the most chaotic families - where there is family turmoil, domestic violence or kids out of control - to take responsibility for themselves and their children.
And they are really working. Of the first 700 families to go through the system, two thirds are no longer involved in any anti social behaviour.
And we also will not ignore the minority of fathers who do not meet their responsibilities - it causes too much sadness and sows the seeds of future failure.
And that’s why we have given the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission the powers to deduct payments direct from salaries or bank accounts, to call in a bailiff and even force the sale of a property.
And I do warn those fathers who have walked away from their responsibilities - meet them or you will be forced to do so.
We will name you on the birth certificate. We will force you to work to pay your maintenance. We will demand that you take your responsibilities seriously.
Whatever the pressures, each of us has a responsibility to do the best for our children - and that goes for business, it goes for Government, and it goes for mums and dads too.
http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page22623
seen at 07:34, 27 February in Number 10 » News Stories.