Children can grow up fast these days, and before you know it your cute little sweetheart can turn into an independent, strong minded teenager.

Part of the process of growing up is learning to assess and deal with risk in a way that doesn't restrict or constrain children’s lives. The danger of overprotecting children and teenagers is that they will never learn how to deal with risk because they are constantly being sheltered from the world.

Children need to develop the ability to look after themselves as they grow up. Key to this is in ensuring that children and young people have access to information and knowledge which will help them develop their own skills to improve their own safety. This, together with being given a degree of independence as they get older is vital to help protect children and young people. With the aim of giving them the skills to deal with and cope with a variety of situations which they may come across in their lives and encourages them to develop and understand their place in the world.

Young Children (aged 0-8 years old)

Young children begin their road to independence by first learning about the world around them from their parents and carers. Their experiences of the world begin to expand and change dramatically as they grow up, no more especially than when they start to attend primary school and begin to make new friends.

Young Teens (age 9 to 12)

No longer little children, and not yet teenagers – children aged 9-12 are caught between two distinct stages in life and grow up quickly - physically and emotionally. Children aged 9 to 12 are young and impressionable and start to develop their sense of identity and self-image. Children of this age start to become prone to peer pressure and the growing influence of friends and peers.

Young People (aged 12 plus)

Young people want to play and spend time outside and it is important that we provide suitable and safe spaces for them. Alongside learning more about themselves and each other, play facilities help keep children fit and healthy, help tackle the growing issue of obesity and provide parents with places where they are happy to let their children spend their free time.

During adolescence, the majority of young people move from socialising mainly within the family or other closely supervised environments to socialising mainly with peers outside of the home. The choices they make, about where and with who they socialise, can have important consequences in terms of risks and safety. Of course, the same choices are not available to all young people, since leisure time will be shaped by economic constraints and opportunities available in the areas in which they live.

Key stages in growing up and independence

There are several key stages in the life of a child, as they grow up, when they start discovering new things, become more independent and relay less and less on their parents or carers.

Boundary setting and family relationships: From the earliest age, the relationships children have with their parents, carers and family provide the strongest influence upon their experiences of the world. These relationships, strengthened by negotiated boundaries, communication and respect, help to create self esteem and confidence and help children and young people become resilient and independent. To find out more information that can help see the ‘Boundary Setting’ and ‘Child Development’ pages on this website.

Ages and movement: It is also important to acknowledge the differences in ranges of behaviour between different age groups, gender and ethnic groups. As children get older their parents allow them greater freedom and range from home for longer periods of time (Hillman 1993). These increases are judged by parents based upon local traffic flow around the neighbourhood, gender, child’s ability and independence, and to a changing sense and assessment of risk parents feel their children face.

Risks by age: At different stages of their lives the risks faced by children and young people can change a great deal. While young children are potentially more vulnerable because of their lack of awareness and experience, older children can face completely different risks as their experiences of the world begin to widen and stray from family control. To find out more about the main risk factors for different aged children see the ‘Risks by age’ pages on this website.

Primary to secondary: The change from Primary to secondary can be a worrying and exiting time for children. They now leave the quiet seclusion of primary school and begin their experiences of a much larger school with lots of older young people. This can be a significant a significant time for children’s self esteem and confidence which can make the difference between successfully transferring to a new environment or becoming vulnerable to bullying or harassment.

Becoming a teenager:  There are a lot of different life-style factors and issues which can influence and affect a child growing up to become a teenager. They may begin to argue more with parents and carers as they try to renegotiate the boundaries and restrictions imposed upon them. Young people will inevitable be more secretive and want to begin to lead their own life. This can be a very difficult time for parents to cope with these changes and for the family to learn new behaviours and rules.

Relationships and Sexual health: As young people get older they become more interested in relationships, which include the potential for sexual relationships. This can be a worrying time for parents and carers who may have concerns about the types of relationships their child becomes involved with. While the majority of young people’s relationships are pleasant and happy, they can face some pressures and risks in certain types of relationships. For more information which can help see the ‘Teenage Sexual Health’ and ‘Relationship Abuse’ pages on this website.

Downloads

Understanding the teen years: This download provides more information, tips and advice about key issues for families with teenagers or young people, e.g. communication, butting heads, how to pick battles, warning signs etc.

Links

www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialpolicy/241.asp

This website offers a range of young people’s views and experiences of growing up. It provides insight which can help parents when dealing with the stress and dilemmas of the emerging young person and the changes which can happen in family relationships.

www.kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growing/adolescence.html

This website provides parents and carers with a ‘parents guide to surviving the teen years’.