Posted By Sharon A generation of youngsters is having its childhood ruined by mounting political correctness and bureaucratic red tape, a hard-hitting Government report states. http://www.dailymail.co....d=522511&in_page_id=1770

Posted By John J I notice the report says 'Perceived' Health and Safety regulation. Don't worry though the article quickly loses this point as it progresses

Posted By Edward Shyer But is it H&S regulations that have ruined the childhood??? School 1960 vs. School 2008 Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school. 1960 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up mates. 2008 - Police are called, Armed Response Unit arrives and arrests Johnny and Mark. Mobiles with video of fight confiscated as evidence. They are charged with assault, ASBOs are taken out and both are suspended even though Johnny started it. Diversionary conferences and parent meetings conducted. Video shown on 6 internet sites. Scenario: Jeffrey won't sit still in class, disrupts other students. 1960 - Jeffrey is sent to the principal's office and given 6 of the best.Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again. 2008 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. Counselled to death. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADHD. School gets extra funding because Jeffrey has a disability. Drops out of school. Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbour's car and his Dad gives him the a clip round the ear. 1960 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college,and becomes a successful businessman. 2008 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. Psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mum has an affair with the psychologist. Psychologist gets a promotion. Scenario: Mark, a college student, brings cigarettes to school . 1960 - Mark shares a smoke with the school principal out on the smoking area. 2008 - Police are called and Mark is expelled from School for drug possession. His car is searched for drugs and weapons. Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers, puts them in a model plane paint bottle and blows up an anthill. 1960 - Ants die. 2008 - MI5 and police are called and Johnny is charged with perpetrating acts of terrorism. Teams investigate parents, siblings are removed from the home, computers are confiscated, and Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again. Scenario: Johnny falls during break and scrapes his knee. His teacher, Mary, finds him crying, and gives him a hug to comfort him. 1960 - Johnny soon feels better and goes back to playing. 2008 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy.

Posted By Andrew Robertson-Böber I think 'Daily Mail' pretty much says it all. B

Posted By Pete Longworth 1950s - Teddy Boys, juvenile delinquents etc 1960s - mods and rockers, juvenile delinquents 1970s - skinheads and greasers, football violence 1980s - punk rockers, football violence 1990s / 2000s - teenage mothers, hoodies, teenage gangs The one constant throughout all of this - the older generation tut tutting about teenagers. Edward, your post was quite entertaining until you intimated that flogging was the cure for a fidgetty child. It went downhill from there. Robert, you are quite right to ask if one generation is any better than another. It's not much of a leap in my opinion from "six of the best" for an unruly child to what we are witnessing unfolding in Jersey at the moment.

Posted By James M It's more the claims culture due to poor health and safety.

Posted By Kieran J Duignan Bob's observation 'the communal "we" has sunk without a trace almost - making mutual responsibility for safety etc a difficult thing to manage' is illustrated by the contrast drawn by Edward. His reference to the apparent prospect of a scandal about child abuse is a reminder of the difficulties in balancing restraint and freedom. The expression used in the safety profession to characterise how a society, organisation or profession directs its efforts to shared goals is 'culture'; The Daily Mail fails to observe how 'safety culture' is gradually evolving within organisations, although not quickly or visibly enough. The Daily Mail also fails to observe how the notion of 'learning', not only 'health and safety', has changed in recent generations amongst many parents in the UK (as well as other English-speaking European countries like the Republic of Ireland). Arguably it is by promoting 'the learning organisation' (which embraces far, far, more than 'training' or individual or group development) as a vehicle for integrating safety with business and community values that the safety and healthy profession can make its mark. Yet, curiously, I can recall no mention of 'the learning organisation' within the safety and health community in the decade I've been part of it. Perhaps the time is right to create a 'Organisational Learning through Safety' SIG within IOSH?