Children in ‘good behaviour’ contracts
Tuesday 7th April 2009, 1:50PM BST.
Young children have begun signing special good behaviour contracts after concerns were raised about youngsters causing havoc on a Shrewsbury estate.
One youngster has already signed the acceptable behaviour contract in Castlefields, with more expected to sign them later this month.
- See also: “The kids are not all right”
But concerns are still being raised about problems in the area, with calls issued today for CCTV coverage to be installed in the area to stamp out alleged issues of anti-social behaviour.
The contracts were drawn up to stop a gang of youngsters, aged from eight to 12, who have been throwing bricks and intimidating residents in the New Park Road area of Castlefields.
Severnside Housing bosses called for the youngsters to co-operate with them and sign special contracts promising good behaviour in the future, leading to the latest development.
Marie MacMichael, neighbourhood manager for Severnside, said: “Severnside, in partnership with the local policing team, has recently signed an acceptable behaviour contract with one young person in Castlefields. This has been done with full parental support.
“Continuing the partnership with West Mercia Police, we will be signing up two more acceptable behaviour contracts this month.
“The introduction of these contracts demonstrates Severnside’s commitment to working with other local agencies to reduce anti-social behaviour on our estates.
“They show that we won’t tolerate bad behaviour that impacts on other residents in the community,” she added.
Councillor Alan Mosley, Shropshire councillor for Castlefields, said issues needed to be resolved in the area.
He is calling on the new Shropshire Council to introduce CCTV coverage in Castlefields, particularly in the area surrounding the shops.
He said: “I’m looking for senior officers of the new Shropshire Council to address the issue and recognise that there is an urgent need for greater surveillance and possible deterrents that a CCTV camera in the area can bring.”
He added that he believed the issue “must be monitored”, saying he hoped CCTV would stop youths from congregating and identify any trouble-makers.
By John Kirk
Shropshire Star on Twitter
Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
Entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new Shropshire Star app
Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
shropshirestar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
Perhaps this could be expanded to “good expenses” contracts for MPs?
Report abuse
Oh yes can just see this working. It wa tried in a school I worked at a load of rubbish
Report abuse
There is another problem with ABCs – or more than one. The Council that introduced them sent letters to parents along these lines (I can vouch, I have seen the letters):
Dear parent, There has been anti-social behaviour in your street. Your sons have been identified as responsible. We would ask you to attend a meeting at the council’s housing office, with your sons, on [date] [time]. PC 49 will also be present. We strongly advise you to attend. We will consider removing your council tenancy if you do not.
What does a child make of this if he hasn’t done anything wrong? And where is the idea of innocent until proven guilty, and some level of evidence and fair play? I looked closely into this and was told a) we couldn’t be told how many people had complained (we didn’t try to ask who) and (b) how many times? I asked what had they done wrong? It wasn’t that, sir, it was anti-social behaviour. Kafka or what?
Yes ABCs can be used – but of the 19000 plus so far handed out to mainly kids, I am not at all sure I feel comfortable with what we are telling our children – if someone complains, the child must have been up to no good. And I am VERY worried when, having asked an 11 year old girl why she signed, did she know what she had done wrong? No, she said. So why did she sign it. Mum told her they could lose their home. What message did give that child – that adults are unfair and never believe you and use threats to get their way. Incidentally, this happened in the area where these devices were dreamt up.
fairplayforchildren.org
Report abuse
well i it a load of rubbish too they are lots of kids around where i live that would tell u to go away and all away throw stones at ppl windows
so i would love to see kids with good behaviour
Report abuse
Solution – Fine the parents 100 pounds each time a child misbehaves.
Report abuse
y fine us parents we don’t make our kids misbehave they do it called high college
Report abuse
Solution – sent the little brats to Y Mab’s Boot Camp to have some discipline instilled into them.
Report abuse
Michelle Matthews – Far be from me to disagree with you but a child misbehaves because it has been bought up poorly with guidance, care, attention from parents a child will learn right from wrong etc. A TV or PC cannot act as a parent.
From the time a baby is born it is blank board which is filled with knowledge and how to behave from its parents – by the age of 5 the damage is done – teachers cannot improve a child if it seeing incorrect behaviour or lack of attention at home.
Report abuse
Bring back the birch as my mother used to say.
Report abuse
how about the cane instead?
Report abuse
Y Mab Darogan what you have said is such utter rubbish. what about all the children brought up in loving, caring homes, with very good discipline who go off the rails. A lot of children from terrible backgrounds also make it good as an adult.
The trouble is you and others like you are living in a dream where children were seen and not heard and they all turned out wonderfully because their parents were able to instill discipline with a stick. People were moaning like this back in the 60s and 70s, nothing has changed much, kids were naughty and rude back then too.
Report abuse