Information:
We are pleased to hear from anyone (Mothers’ Union member or not) in response to these questions. In order to help us use the data captured here and to be able to make accurate comparisons:
• Please let us know if you are a Mothers’ Union member
• Please let us know if you are writing as a parent/grandparent
• Please let us know your age
• Please let us know your gender
All information is shared in responses will be anonymised where it is used. However, please let us know if you are willing to be contacted by Mothers’ Union to talk more about this.
You can either email your answers to policy@mothersunion.org using the template document available here, or send them by post to: Faith & Policy Unit, Mothers’ Union, 24 Tufton Street, London, SW1P 3RB.
General questions:
Two questions to help us understand your context:
• What do you think are the greatest external influences pressures on your child/children/grandchild/grandchildren?
• As a parent/grandparent, what, if any, are your major concerns for your child/children/grandchild/grandchildren?
Specific questions:
We are interested in hearing from our members your views on the ‘commercialisation of childhood’, The term ‘commercialisation of childhood’ refers to treating children as consumers and as an audience to be marketed to. We are interested in finding out the impact of both marketing and advertising on children. Marketing is generally understood as the positioning and general promotion and selling of products or services and advertising refers to the targeted promotion of products or services to specific audiences.
• How do you perceive/understand the commercial world around us?
• What impact does advertising have on your child/children/grandchild/grandchildren?
• What impact does marketing have on your child/children/grandchild/grandchildren?
• Do you think the commercial world affects how your child/children/grandchild/grandchildren think and feel about themselves?
• Do you think that your child/children/grandchild/grandchildren would be different if they were not exposed to the commercial world?
• To what extent, if at all do you feel equipped to deal with the impact of the commercial world on your child/children/grandchild/grandchildren?
• What do you think would help you to feel better equipped?
• Overall, what would you say is your biggest concern when thinking about children and childhood in the UK today? What one thing could be done to address this?
