Who is more confused...?

Who is more confused…?

Legal Age For Young People to survive in UK

Who is more confused? Young people or adults (i.e. adults being government, society, parents, police, teachers)?

Young people are indeed more confused in today’s society more than ever before, but where does all this confusion come from?

One example of the origin of this confusion is regarding legal ages for young people to survive in the UK.

There are many things that I believe contradict the ages stipulated by legislation in order for young people to live and survive in today’s society in the UK.

Young people already receive a range of mixed messages every day from society which adds further to their confusion.

Have a look at the information below relating to legal ages for young people living in the UK and let me know what you think.

For instance,

At the age of 10, young people can:

- Be convicted of an offence, but not imprisoned

At the age of 12, young people can:

- From 12 years old young people can be incarcerated (not imprisoned) in special units, e.g. Local Authority Secure Units (LASUs)

At the age of 13, young people can:

- Be employed for a certain number of hours a week

At the age of 14, young people can:

- Go to the pub, but cannot drink or buy alcohol - Are responsible for wearing a seat belt

At the age of 15, young people can:

- Be a ‘juvenile offender’ in custody in juvenile units in Young Offender Institutions (YOI)

At the age of 16, young people can:

- Get a job
- Get married, with consent from one parent or legal guardian
- Have a baby
- Go to college? (UK legislations have changed recently where young people must stay on at school until they are 18).
- Have a licence to drive/ride a moped
- Buy a national lottery ticket
- Visit a young offender only with their own parents or with written permission from a responsible adult
- Age of consent for sexual relationships
- Claim social security benefit
- Be interviewed by the police with any responsible adult
- Choose their own doctor
- Work full-time
- Leave home with parents’ consent
- Drink wine or beer in a restaurant

At the age of 17, young people can:

- Go to college?
- Visit a young offender with a responsible adult
- Have a provisional driving licence for any vehicle except certain heavy ones
- Be interviewed by the police without parents or any other ‘responsible adult’ and therefore be treated as an adult
- Purchase an air rifle
- Have legal proceedings without involvement of parents or any other responsible adult
- Engage in street trading
- Leave home without parents’ consent

At the age of 18, young people can:

- Change their name
- Buy alcohol (only in some places. The permitted age to buy and consume alcohol varies across the UK from 18 – 25 years of age. Some retail outlets require young people as old as 25 to provide proof of their age)
- Go abroad to sing, play or perform professionally
- Appear before adult courts
- Go to a night club
- Sit on a jury
- Be a ‘young offender’ in custody Young Offender Institutions (YOI)
- Visit a young offender on their own
- Apply for a passport
- Act as an executor of a person’s will
- Be Deported from the UK even if they had, previous to becoming 18 years of age, been looked after by local authorities as a separated and vulnerable young person (separated children is the term used to describe children who are ‘outside their country and separated from their parents or legal or customary carers’)
- Be detained in a detention centre on attaining the age of 18, as an alternative to or prior to deportation as above.
- Buy cigarettes
- Leave school
- Get married without parents’ consent
- Vote
- Bet
- Own houses and land
- Be a blood donor
- Apply for a mortgage
- Buy fireworks
- Hold a licence to sell alcohol
- Drink alcohol in a pub

NB: Some ages may vary in Scotland.

Any surprises here for you? Let me know what you think.

Have you been LiBERATED yet?

NEW LIFE! NEW FREEDOM! NEW YOU!

With Inspirational Blessings
Jennifer McLeod

Born To Win! book series
Creator of Easy Tiger Parents System(tm)
Creator of Born To Win! Programme for Young People(tm)
youngpeople@jennifermcleod.co.uk
www.stepup-international.co.uk
+44 (0) 121 551 1668

Young Lone Fathers - TV documentary

Young Lone Fathers - TV documentary

Hi there,

I have had a request from Lucy below, regarding a proposed TV documentary. Whilst I work with teenage parents as part of my Easy Tiger Parent System™, I haven't worked with young lone fathers yet.

Do you know any young lone fathers? If you are able to help in any way, please contact Lucy directly on the details below.

"I am interested in speaking to someone about the parent coaching sessions you hold for teenagers with regard to a project I am working on for the BBC.My name is Lucy Hinson and I am a researcher for Love Productions - a highly respected documentary production company whose credits include Young Mums’ Mansion and Filthy Rich and Homeless.

We are currently working on a new documentary programme following young single dads and their experiences of bringing up a child. Young single dads are often overlooked by the media and society at large and we want to find out what life is really like for lone fathers bringing up a child on their own and how this may compare or contrast with the experiences of young single mothers.We are particularly interested in speaking to young dads, between 15 and 18 years old, who are the main or sole carer of their children, whether as a result of relationship breakup, illness, custody decisions, bereavement etc.

I’m hoping to speak to as many individuals, professionals and support groups as possible who may have experience in this field. If you or someone you know can help, it would be greatly appreciated. At this stage I am conducting background research into the subject so even if the idea of taking part in a TV programme doesn’t appeal, I would still like to hear from you.

All information will of course be in strictest confidence.I can be contacted on 0207 067 4838 or by email lucy.hinson@loveproductions.co.uk."

Have you been LiBERATED yet?

NEW LIFE! NEW FREEDOM! NEW YOU!

With Inspirational Blessings
Jennifer McLeod

Born To Win! book series

Born To Win! Live Your Ultimate Life Vision Today. NEW RELEASE!!! Get your copy here: http://tinyurl.com/6lf3gj

Creator of Easy Tiger Parents System(tm)
Creator of Born To Win! Programme for Young People(tm)
youngpeople@jennifermcleod.co.uk
+44 (0) 121 551 1668

Andrew Johnston beat the bullies!

Andrew Johnston beat the bullies!
By Jennifer McLeod, June 2008

I applaud Andrew Johnston, 13 year old contestant on ‘Britain’s Got Talent 2008 Show’, for having the courage to admit to 12 million people across the nation that he was being bullied because of the love of his passion……..singing opera.

I want to let Andrew Johnston know that it is absolutely ok for him to cry when he didn’t win the coveted prize of appearing on the Royal Variety Show, BUT he won the nation’s heart!

• He is a winner because of his courage!
• He is a winner because he stood up to the bullies!
• He is a winner because he has the most superb natural voice for his age! (and as singing was my childhood ambition I would have loved to have had his voice when I was his age).
• He is a winner because he showed not only the judges, but especially the bullies, what he is really made of!
• He is a winner because he gained great confidence and height in just a matter of weeks
• He is a winner because HE CAN!!
  
  All respect to Andrew’s mum who stood by him and continued to support and nurture him throughout a time in their lives which must of been particularly difficult when he was being bullied for his passion.
  
  “When you follow your heart’s desires and do that one thing that’s been niggling away inside you, it’s likely to be that one thing that will make your heart sing.”
  Jennifer McLeod © 2006
  
  Young people are bullied for all kinds of reasons, which includes being different. I was privileged to be crewing with Tony Robbins in October 2006 when a 14 year old teenager, Laura, shared with an audience of 13,000 that she had attempted suicide 5 times because she was excluded from all groups at school for being different……… …why?…she liked rock music!! Tony Robbins had Laura rocking on stage to her favourite rock music and she had 13 thousand adults applauding and rocking with her. She truly rocked! And was a changed young lady by the time she left that seminar. Laura was able to appreciate that it was truly ok to be different and that it was people who are different that are shaping the world, movers and shakers and having an impact on other people’s lives. You only need to think about people like Nelson Mandela, Hitler, Mother Teresa and the Tallest Man in the World
  
  Another group of young people and teenagers being bullied at school are very bright, intelligent boys who then pretend that they don’t have that brilliance just to fit in with their peers. Let’s teach the other young people to look at and accept their own brilliance with the strong message that there is no need to be frightened of their brilliance!
  
  “When you go for what you really want in life, you are helping people more than you realise.”
  Jennifer McLeod © 2006
  
  Bullying is one of the topics that I cover with young people as a part of my Born To Win! Programme for Young People. The Programme helps young people and teenagers to discuss the negative messages that they are getting from society at large and from their own home or school environments, and how they can replace the negative messages with more empowering beliefs for themselves, to create the life they want as apposed to the life that they fall into.
  
  
  “I didn't belong as a kid, and that always bothered me. If only I'd known that one day my differentness would be an asset, then my early life would have been much easier”
  Bette Midler
  
  What can we do as adults and parents to help young people and teenagers be more accepting of others? This for me, starts with adults and parents! How much are we accepting of others including young people and teenagers and how much do we accept ourselves? We only need to look at newspaper articles or listen to the news to see how much adults do not like people who are different and how we can make people’s lives hell because of their differences!
  
  The Independent reports that more and more adults in the UK are afraid of young people and teenagers, however, labelling teenagers as ‘yobs’ or ‘tyrants’ does nothing to alleviate this. It’s only a minority of teenagers that are violent or hurt other people.
  
  “Children always know more than they can put into words: that distinguishes them from us adults, who usually put into words so much than we know.”
  J.Lusseyran
  
  Young people and teenagers are given so much stick in today’s society that it’s any wonder that any of them survive the stereotypes and assumptions as a generation with healthy mindsets. With so much negative press aimed at young people, it can be difficult to encourage young people to be confident in themselves.
  
  The judges on ‘Britain’s Got Talent Show’, Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden?, Piers Morgan, did a great job (in the main), of boosting young people and teenagers courage, confidence, and self esteem with their constructive comments (in the main). Kate from Kate and Gin Act leaves the Show a changed person from the very shy nervous person to being able to step outside of her comfort zone and step up to the challenge of being on stage in front of thousands of people.
  
  Numerous young people from 8 years old upwards entered the Finals, showing adults what they really can do, working and fighting hard to get that coveted prize and place in the Royal Variety Show. From their absolutely brilliant performances, it was inevitable that at least one young person would be in the top 3 and were favourites to win, and sure enough, two of them were: George Sampson (the winner), Andrew Johnston (third place and a winner in his own right) and Signature (adults – runner up).
  
  The semi-finals of ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ was dominated by young people and teenagers, including:
  
• The Cheeky Monkeys – aged 8 & 9
• Andrew Johnston - Opera
• Nemesis – Street Dance Group who trained and practiced at any available opportunity after work and any available space they could call their own, even if it meant practicing at a bus stop/shelter instead of dance studio with mirrors. Sheer will power and determination, and that’s what I really like about this group, apart from the fact that they are great dancers.
• George Sampson – singing in the rain ‘Mr Determination’
• Faryl Smith – where did she get that voice? A very ‘mature’ 12 year old and indeed very special
• Escala – fantastic talent and entertaining, string quartet
• Kate and Gin – very unique Act and Kate’s ability to communicate with Gin, the dog, is out of this world!
• Andrew Muir – plumber from Scotland and lot more besides!
  
  George Sampson won because of his sheer fighting spirit and determination to win and continue in his self belief to prove to the judges that they were wrong about him last year. That said, he is also a very talented teenager who was busking on streets in UK, before he auditioned for the ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ Show
  
  This is the first time for years that I have watched so much television, but it was worth it, watching children, young people and teenagers excel in the way that they did.
  
  I do not normally watch the Royal Variety Show, but this year I will make an exception and it will be one not to be missed!
  
  These young people and teenagers were all winners and clearly Born To Win!
  
  If you need any clarification or support on any of the serious matters of bullying or supporting teenagers and young people, contact me, Jennifer McLeod on youngpeople@jennifermcleod.co.uk
  
  © Jennifer McLeod 2008

Have you been LiBERATED yet?

NEW LIFE! NEW FREEDOM! NEW YOU!

With Inspirational Blessings
Jennifer McLeod
Born To Win! book series
Creator of Easy Tiger Parents System(tm)
Creator of Born To Win! Programme for Young People(tm)

+44 (0) 121 551 1668

Parents of yobs face court threat

Parents of yobs face court threat

pa.press.net - 01.06.2008 06:15 FROM MSN NEWS

Here's an article that I got from MSN News today, hot off the press.

See what you think.

Parents who fail to stop their children drinking in public face court action in a new drive by ministers to get a grip on drunken youths marauding the streets.The move will be unveiled as part of a raft of measures designed to curb binge-drinking among teenagers and children as young as 10.

Youths who regularly drink alcohol in public will be committing an offence under new legislation.Police will also be handed tougher powers to disperse gangs of youngsters congregating in the street and other popular hangouts like parks and bus shelters.

The cross-Whitehall drive comes amid heightened concern among voters about anti-social behaviour and alcohol abuse among younger people.It will see teenagers persistently possessing alcohol in public subjected to anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) and acceptable behaviour contracts.

Their parents will be hit by similar orders and contracts - including the requirement to attend parenting courses - if they fail to get their children to "change their ways". Ultimately, they could be prosecuted.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said professionals would be called in where parents were unable to handle their offspring."Groups of under-18s drinking in public are an all too familiar sight," she said."This type of drinking increases youth anti-social behaviour and crime, puts young people in vulnerable situations and I want to put a stop to it."

What do I think?

Me, I think this is just another way of the government driving another wedge between parents and young people, teenagers and applying even more pressure to parents and their teens than perhaps already exists, because the government fails to prevent shopkeepers from selling alcohol to young people. The question to ask, is how did the teenagers get the drink in the first place?

Worst still, the police will be given even more powers to DISPERSE young people on if they congregate in a group in PARKS, STREETS OR BUS SHELTERS!

This for me is just another example of the government and the police heightening the problem and stereotypes about young people. If young people and teenagers can't meet as a normal group in the PARK, where else can they meet!!????

The young people are referred to in the article above as 'yobs' and 'gangs'. Is it any wonder why more and more adults are needlessly fearful of teenagers when we are constantly bombarded with such negative language and images of young people??!!

What do you think? Have you say here

Have you been LiBERATED yet?

NEW LIFE! NEW FREEDOM! NEW YOU!

With Inspirational Blessings
Jennifer McLeod

Born To Win! book series
Creator of Easy Tiger Parents System(tm)
Creator of Born To Win! Programme for Young People(tm)
info@jennifermcleod.co.uk

+44 (0) 121 551 1668

Do you love me?

Do You Love ME?

This is the underlying and constant question that children and young people have running through their minds whether on a conscious or unconscious basis. We all have a need to be loved and children and young people are no exception to the rule.

Most often than not, however, children and young people may not be aware of this driving need and may act in ways which test their parents’ love for them. Again, they are generally unaware of why they are doing what they are doing because it is an unconscious act governed by the need to be and to feel loved. Though these actions may test some parents’ patience or drive some parents to despair, the trick for the parents is to look behind the behaviour at what children or young people might be trying to tell you. For instance, examples of behaviour might range from minor incidences like some children bedwetting again, creating ‘weird and wonderful’ fantasies that might seem real to them, hyperactivity, to more serious situations like stealing, mixing with the wrong crowd that leads them astray, substance misuse, self harm or even worse, suicide (sadly and steadily on the increase amongst young people and is the second or third highest cause of death for young people). The behaviour is a form of communication to you that tells you that something is going on and again, children especially, and young people may not be able to put into words how they are feeling. They just need that affirmative ‘yes’ in words and actions from their parents.

Where young people are concerned, they have so many challenges going on at this crucial stage of development in their lives, that it is so easy for them to get distracted and perhaps do things that they wouldn't normally do in an attempt to 'find themselves' or 'find me'. It is also a time for them naturally to want to explore and strive for their independence from their parents. Whilst this is a natural part of their growth, this stage still needs to be managed, whereby parents give young people more freedom a little at a time depending on their ability to manage this new found freedom and the responsibilities that it entails. Give them too much freedom at first and it will be difficult to claw it back later on if and when things go wrong. Children and young people of all ages need boundaries, irrespective of their behaviour and them telling you that they are not ‘a kid’ anymore. An Ofsted report 2007 UK reveals that young people believe that teachers treat them like young adults too soon. So whilst they want the extra freedom, they don’t want or are unable to cope with too much of it and therefore the increased responsibilities that it brings.

Another important point about a young person’s need to know that he or she is loved is the natural need for them to see their parents demonstrate that they love them. It might appear that they don’t want to be hugged anymore as they get older, but this is generally a façade that they put on at this stage of their development. Providing you are not ignoring their wishes by hugging them and embarrassing them in front of their friends, (my eldest is 17 years old and he openly initiates and gives me a hug in front of his friends), then always show your children affection. This can be as simple as tapping/touching them on their shoulders, arms, head or back as you walk past them.

Brian Tracy, a leading sales and personal development guru, sited an experiment called the Infant Death Syndrome where an experiment with newly born babies showed that half the babies in the experiment were not shown any form of affection and were just fed and changed when necessary. The other half of the babies in the experiment were also changed and fed, given extra attention, affection, hugged and played with. The difference in the development of the growth in the two sets of babies was so stark that the experiment had to be stopped, though too late, as the set of babies which didn’t receive the nurturing and affection, literally shriveled up and some of them actually died. A very potent example to illustrate the point above, as it is so easy to underestimate young people’s need for affection because of the contradictory behaviour that they portray.

If you watch Eastenders in the UK, one of the current storyline running is Lucy Beale running away from home. The episode Friday 02 May 2008 showed Stephen Beale telling Lucy that dad Ian and step mum Jane had almost forgotten about her to the extent where they were thinking of moving Stephen into Lucy’s room. The expression on Lucy’s face was one of obvious disappointment, even though she was the one that ran away.

So what do you do?

Give constant reassurance, praise, love, focused attention and affection and most importantly, LISTEN and give Lots of hugs.

This by no means, is not just about Positive Parenting or just being positive parents as this approach goes over and above that.

Have you been LiBERATED yet?

NEW LIFE! NEW FREEDOM! NEW YOU!

Leave your comments here about this article, and why not share this article with someone who might benefit from it?

With Inspirational Blessings
Jennifer McLeod
Born To Win! book series and Ebook http://www.lulu.com/; http://www.amazon.co.uk/
Creator of Easy Tiger Parents System(tm)
Creator of Born To Win! Programme for Young People(tm)
youngpeople@jennifermcleod.co.uk
http://www.stepup-international.co.uk/
+44 (0) 121 551 1668

Young People and ASBO's

An ASBO (Anti Social Behaviour Order) is quite a common, well talked about Order today in the UK associated with young people.

Given the media coverage and society's perception of young people, only a very small percent of young people, around 5%, find themselves in trouble for whatever reason, some of whom end up getting ASBO's. Some wear their ASBO's like a badge of honor, whilst others are not sure what they did to get the ASBO in the first place.

There is a misconception that ASBO's cannot be challenged in court by the young person and that the court and local government will automatically enforce the ASBO. This is not the case. Admittedly, whilst ASBO's can be sanctioned by the court based purely on 'Hearsay', young people do have a right to challenge the ASBO and get legal support to do so and can get the allegation dismissed.

Now I know that there are some young people out there causing havoc and need to be stopped and supported in some way, however, the majority of young people are not.

Many young people need reassurance, guidance, support and love on their journey of experiencing the world, amidst the fear, suspicion, negative projection from some adults.

I did some work recently at a school with 14 year old's as part of our Born To Win! Programme for Young People, enabling them to create the life they want as apposed the life that they fall into. One of the pupils did not want to take part in the exercises because 'I'm never gonna get any where in life anyway', she said. When I asked her who told her that, she said 'everyone.' Then I asked her if she believed that, and sadly her reply was 'yes'.

It is very sad that a 14 year old think that their life is over and that there is not much to hope for. We are all so easily conditioned by society and people around us. Perhaps of a large majority of adults started to project positively onto our young people, maybe we might get a difference in the outcome.

What are your thoughts?

Jennifer McLeod
Step Up! International Ltd
info@jennifermcleod.co.uk

Young People

I work with Young People as part of Step Up! International's Born To Win! Programme, enabling Young People to create the life they want as apposed to the life that they fall into.










Jennifer McLeod
Step Up! International Ltd
+44 (0) 121 551 1668
info@jennifermcleod.co.uk