Knife crime is parents' biggest fear
PARENTS biggest fear for their children is that they will be a victim of knife crime, a survey by ParentLine Scotland has revealed.
Over half – 51 per cent – of parents who responded to across Scotland survey said they were worried about their child or teenager getting hurt by someone carrying a knife.
Parents and carers said they were also worried about:
Who their child was hanging out with (48 per cent);
their child not coming home on time (44 per cent); and
their child drinking alcohol (39 per cent).
The survey, which forms part of ParentLine’s summer campaign, follows on from the launch of an initiative in conjunction with the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) offering advice and support to the parents worried their child may be drinking, fighting or using weapons.
The initiative forms part of the alcohol and weapons phase of this year’s VRU Anti-Violence Campaign. CHILDREN 1ST, the charity which runs ParentLine Scotland, has shared the findings of the survey with the Minister for Community Safety.
Jill Cook, Helpline Manager at ParentLine Scotland, said: "Our survey shows just how concerned parents are about the risks to their children, particularly in relation to knife crime. Although actual experiences of knife crime are low, it is still a scenario that parents fear as it is something they feel they have no control over and the consequences for their child can be severe.
"We know the Scottish Government plans to roll out the No Knives Better Lives campaign around the country. We support this campaign and would encourage them to pick up the pace so that every community and family can be reassured that everything is being done to protect children and young people.
"It is important too that parents know where to go to talk through any concerns they might have about a young person in their family. ParentLine Scotland offers free confidential advice and support for anyone with a concern about a child or young person and offers specific advice for parents who are worried about knife crime. ParentLine can be contacted on 0800 028 2233 or parentlinescotland@children1st.org.uk."
The initiative is supported by posters and leaflets which have distributed for use by police forces across Scotland. They are also available online at both the ParentLine Scotland and VRU websites.
Chief Inspector Graham Goulden, who leads the campaign on behalf of the VRU, said: "New guidelines on knife carrying recently introduced by the Lord Advocate mean we are clamping down harder than ever on this kind of behaviour.
"We know knife crime is something that worries parents. For the vast majority, there will be no cause for concern - this is something that, most likely, will never impact on them.
"But that doesn’t stop people worrying, which is why the service provided by ParentLine Scotland - listening and supporting parents and carers - is so important."
