However, this innocence means that children are seen as vulnerable and in need of protection from dangers of the adult world. Children’s lives, as a result of this, are lived largely in the confinement of the family and education, where adults provide for them. Similarly, unlike adults, children mainly lead lives of leisure and play and cannot partake in paid work. Cultural differences have an impact on people’s views of childhood. Ruth Benedict argued that children from Less Economically Developed Countries and non-industrial societies are treated differently from modern, Western children: they take responsibility from a younger age.
Sociologists say that childhood socially constructed (which means that it is created and defined by society). They say that the position children have in society is not permanently fixed, it changes over time. This is obvious by looking at how childhood is seen in other cultures and the past. It is accepted in our society now that childhood should be a special time of life, children are seen as being different from adults so should be treated differently because they are physically and psychologically immature and are not able to be dependent. So they are seen to need a lengthy period of time where they are nurtured and socialised before they are seen as responsible adults in society.
This doesn't happen very happen and each case varies on how critical and important the case was. If the case was that the children were coming to harm on a regular basis then social services would seek to remove the child/children, but they usually give help and advice to the parents to stop any harm coming to the child/children. Wider forms of safeguarding are as follows:- Risk assessments providing safe environments inside and outside the school setting. Procedures and legislation health and safety, fire drills, register, etc. keeping training up-to-date in safeguarding issues.
Those years are essential for both personal and social development. If children are excluded from society and put into correctional facilities they are missing out on this important development opportunity. Children need to be around their families, their peers, their sports coaches, teachers and other positive influences. By surrounding them with other troubled youth is reinforcing negative behaviour because it became the norm. Furthermore, excluding young offenders from society is denying them the opportunity to meet positive role models and mentors.
HOW WE ‘CONSTRUCT’ CHILDHOOD TODAY (western societies). Western societies have definite ideas - cultural norms – about childhood • It is a special and distinct time of life - separate and different (like middle age, old age etc – a very precise ‘phase’ of your life). • Because of this the status of children is very different from adults – this means that – • They are treated as unequal – not the equals of adults • They have special laws which prevent them from doing things • Because they are regarded as vulnerable there are special laws protecting them which don’t apply to adults • The separateness of childhood is re-enforced by the idea that they should wear different clothes and behave differently and have products and services which are for them only • Children are not yet .mature’ and fully formed – they cannot run their own lives – so….. • Children need a long period of training, education and socialisation into the ways of our society before they can be fully fledged ‘adults. • The vulnerability and specialness of children means that they are exempt from normal adult activities like paid work and spend their time protected in the family and at school. • There is also an idea that childhood is somehow a
Many people argue that development is vital in the younger years in the child’s life, and the ability to solve problems and apply ideas help in the long-term. Hyman argues that the lower classes create a self imposed barrier to learning their values. This is because he believes that they have a low value on education, with a ‘play safe’ culture and also a low level of self belief. This would all impact on the child performance at school as they would not have the attitude needed to progress. If at any point they failed, they would see this as a big mistake and give up and have a lack of motivation.
To what extent is childhood a social construct? Social construct = a socially created aspect of life. Social constructionalists argue that human beings actively and creatively produce society. Childhood is an example of a social construct as it is not a natural or a biological state therefore being socially constructed. The understanding of children is that they are not the same everywhere and they are different from adults, how they are different, and the expectations placed on them differ depending on the society they live in.
The Juvenile Justice System has the bases of the Adult Justice System but the goals are much different. In the juvenile courts a child’s privacy is protected from the public. They focus on the needs of the child, trying to identify problems they are having and find solutions, treatments and support systems, to help them to stay out of the court system rather than punishment. Juvenile systems also believe that there shouldn’t be any long term confinement and that no matter what offense that you committed as a child you should be released by the age of twenty-one. The court process for the juvenile can last from a couple hours to a couple days long and are informal in nature without a jury.
An Effective Parenting Styles Being a parent can be one of the most difficult jobs a person will ever have. It may be especially challenging when the child is in their adolescent years. Most parents want their children to become independent, productive and able to cope with the world. The older methods of parenting do not work in today's society. Teenagers, like everyone else, want to be treated with respect and seen as individuals with there own ideas.
The students cannot develop the self-expression that is crucial at this age of development. Uniforms do not give children a sense of individuality. They suppress them from being their own person. Teens and kids need ways to figure out what kind of person they want to be. The way they dress and present themselves is essential to their childhood, as they learn things about themselves and are in different social groups.