The Children’s Society has voiced increasing concern that teenagers are being neglected by their parents, causing an adverse impact on their general presentation and health, including mental health.
A report by the children’s charity found that tens of thousands of teens up and down the country are suffering from the pervasive effects of neglect at home, with many parents under the misapprehension that they need less care and support than younger children. To ‘compensate’ for the lack of love and attention, neglected youngsters often find solace in the deadly trio of ‘booze, fags and whacky-baccy’. They are more likely to ‘bunk off’ school or to commit offences – most are petty – with a trend to escalate into serious crime if the neglect is long-term.
The study has highlighted that teens who are subject to material deprivation and lacking in possessions are more likely to be neglected than their better-off peers. Parents who failed to monitor their children’s outside activities also took little interest in their education and health. Boys reported lower levels of parental supervision than girls. The study revealed that “neglected teenagers tend to report doubts about their competence, have little faith that anyone cares about them, feel pessimistic about the future and are dissatisfied with their lives overall.”
