Given the times that we live in , it may not come as a surprise that the number of reported crimes involving children attacking parents has nearly doubled in the past three years. In fact, one Police area has seen such crimes nearly treble. Children now have unprecedented easy access to drugs and alcohol, and some are plagued with mental health issues as a result of peer pressure, media ‘image’ influences, and other stressors. Some children are even exposed, in overwhelming amounts, to this ‘toxic trio’ of drugs, alcohol and mental health issues.
We must of course be careful to factor-in that the increase may be due to a change in reporting practices. However, it as an undeniable fact that in many of these cases, appropriate support is hard to access for a variety of reasons, including embarrassment, fear of the children being removed and lack of emotional as well as public resources. This last point is supported by the sad statistic that despite the increase, comparable data for Police Forces showed a drop, of more than a third, in such prosecutions.
Sadly, an 11 year old assaulting her mother or father by grabbing them by the throat, or hitting them in the car, is not likely to be prioritised by a busy Police Force. Also most parents would not want their children to get a criminal record. However, such incidents can result in parents being off work, losing relationships with significant others and even self-harm. It is probably recognitions of this sort that lead one charity to suggest that such reports are often a last resort cry for help.
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