Last month, research from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) showed that 90% of parents were concerned about the way that companies market to children. The findings came a year on from the Bailey Review which showed the impact of marketing and commercialisation on children.
Mothers’ Union has welcomed action taken in the past year to halt the commercialisation of childhood, in response to the Bailey Review, ‘Letting Children be Children’. Industry and regulators have made a good start, with the ASA tightening up guidelines on sexualised advertising outdoors, internet service providers offering more visible parental controls and children’s clothing retailers signing up to a new code of practice.
Last year, Claire Perry MP chaired a Parliamentary Inquiry into online safety. The Inquiry sought to understand the dangers that online pornography may pose to children and to determine what is currently being done to protect children and what further action should be taken by industry, the Government and parents. The inquiry collected evidence from a range of organisations, including Mothers’ Union, and has now made a number of recommendations.
The Government has welcomed Reg Bailey's Review, Letting Children Be Children.
Sarah Teather: "The Government welcome Mr Bailey’s analysis and the thrust of all the recommendations he has made. We note that the majority of the recommendations are directed at industry and the regulators and we look to them to see that these recommendations are implemented as fully as possible, while remaining open to industry and regulators devising alternative or additional approaches to delivering the outcomes that the recommendations are aimed at achieving.
The Bailey Review, published this morning, has made 14 recommendations to Government on how to tackle the issues surrounding the commercialisation and sexualisation of children.
Rosemary Kempsell, Worldwide President of Mothers’ Union, said today that the organisation “welcomed the recommendations made in the Review, in particular the focus on parents’ concerns about the issues.”
The Bailey Review on the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood has released preliminary findings into the views of parents on the subject.
The full Review is due to be published at the end of May.
Mothers' Union President, Rosemary Kempsell, along with a number of Mothers' Union members, presented a 19,000 signature petition to the Prime Minister today, calling on the Government to tackle the commercialisation and sexualisation of children. MPs Helen Goodman, Jim Dobbin, Fiona Bruce and David Morris also accompanied Mothers' Union to present the petition to Number Ten.
Read the press release here.
As part of his Review, Reg Bailey has launched a public consultation on the commercialisation of childhood. He is seeking views from parents, carers and other family members; and industry and other stakeholders. The consultation closes on Friday 18th March 2011.
Read about the consultation here.
Baroness Verma highlighted the Bailey Review on the commercialisation of childhood during a debate in the House of Lords on violence against women.
“The noble Baroness, Lady Howe of Idlicote, also talked about the sexualisation of children. It is essential that we take steps to challenge these messages, demonstrate that they are not acceptable and work to put positive models and messages in place. That is why the Government have asked Reg Bailey, chief executive of the Mothers’ Union, to conduct an independent review into this issue. That will report in May 2011.”
Fiona Bruce MP asks Parliamentary Question in the House of Commons on the Commercialisation of Childhood.
Fiona Bruce MP asked the Secretary of State for Education: What plans he has to address the commercialisation and premature sexualisation of childhood.
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