When did youths turn into 'hooded menaces'?

A UNICEF report in 2007 ranked Britain last for childhood quality of life in a survey of 21 economically advanced nations. Why? Seen and not heard?

Seeing the world through the eyes of two teenage sons, it seems even being seen is too much these days. Seen in public, congregating. Seen outside, playing. Seen in shops, from which they are banned. Seen on their skateboards. Seen on their bicycles. The list goes on.

"Kids will be kids" – recently heard said about youngsters breaking into cars. No. That is not what kids naturally do. But as a society we seem content to have a go at the youngsters among us. Young teenagers are at a stage in life when they need positive social contact with adults outside their immediate family, in order to develop social skills and confidence. They need encouragement, mentoring and positive social interactions in order to mature into responsible and happy adults. At what point did they all morph into hooded, menacing youth?

The UK ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) on December 16, 1991. It states:

● the right to life, survival and development;

● the right to have their views respected, and to have their best interests considered at all times.

In a new housing development in Portishead, children's best interests seem to have been designed entirely out. In a residential road with no pavements, our 12-year-old son was almost hit by a car. He was standing two or three feet from the wall of the house. Did the driver apologise, check the child was OK? No. What they did was call the police. The police subsequently came round and very politely explained that as the speed limit in this residential road is 30mph, it is the responsibility of parents to ensure the children are not obstructing the passage of cars. The fact there are no pavements, the houses open directly on to this road, this was just round a corner and so the driver had no visibility, it was all irrelevant. The law is the law.

The design of this housing development inadvertently affects the safety and quality of life of children disproportionately more than adults.

More worryingly are the societal attitudes this incident illuminates. The law was surely always on the side of the king of the road. But it would have been unthinkable in the not-too-distant past to threaten the law on people whose children were playing in a residential road just outside their own front door. People used to just drive carefully and keep an eye out for youngsters.

Perhaps we need to revive our sense of fun, our enjoyment of the follies, energy and enthusiasm of youth, the harmless pranks, the tomfoolery and the playfulness.

Ingrid Murphy, Portishead.