An issue in the Queen's Speech coincided with an interview I conducted this morning and was touched upon by the Guardian- kids with ASBOs, and their parents. Admittedly, I was a problem child (to nowhere near that extent fortunately) and I thoroughly believe that it was my self-righteous stuck-up C of E school which led me to go off down the path to Hell... well, not so much Hell as down to the bottom tennis courts to smoke.
But is it the parents' fault? Yes, they should definitely receive what the Queen referred to as "help", but help to accomplish what exactly? To gain the authority in the home to prevent their children from becoming little eejits; help with coping with the ones that are unsalvageable; or with "good parenting"? T'was unclear.
The interview I mentioned was with Ian Cooke, who heads various Anti-Social Behaviour Task Group schemes at Poole Council where they've recently had to extend the dispersal order to quite a larger area of the town. I discussed with him where he thought the problem fundamentally stems from and he was vague on the subject (the camera was on him) and he didn't seem to want to place blame. Of course, in some cases the parents Will be to blame but in others they will be at their wits end and it's really very sad. When asked about the relevance to the current economic climate he brushed somewhat over it, saying "Well, people will steal if they don't have the money to buy the things they need."
Either way, it's an impossible situation, what with the huge budget cuts in government funding which are expected for both Poole and Bournemouth- 10%, Cooke quoted. How on earth will the Councils afford to keep the youth centres and the CCTV running, the police patrolling, and ultimately the kids off the streets?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/queens-speech
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