Parents producing 'battery-farmed' children who never play outside, says minister

Laura Clark:

Parents who refuse to let their children out to play are producing a "battery-farmed" generation, says a minister.

Kevin Brennan warned that these youngsters would never become resilient and would be unable to cope with risk.

The Families Minister cited figures showing that more than a third of children are never let out to play.

Launching a child safety action plan, he said that primary pupils should be allowed to walk or cycle to school and the public should accept that young people have a right to gather in groups on the street.

He added: "We can all sometimes as parents get a little bit focused on wrapping our children in cotton wool and it's not good for them to do that all the time. We have to educate people about the real risks they face."

He gave the example of a girl he met who cycles to primary school in Battersea, South London, every day.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at February 7, 2008 9:01 AM
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