Childhood (Commercialisation and Sexualisation)

Monday 6th December 2010 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department for Education (Sarah Teather)]

I am announcing today an independent review of the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood.

Parents express real concern about children being pressured into growing up too quickly, to become consumers or sexualised adults earlier than is appropriate. The Government have therefore made a commitment to take action to protect children from excessive commercialisation and premature sexualisation.

I have asked Mr Reg Bailey, chief executive of the Mothers’ Union, to conduct an independent review of the issue and to make a full report with recommendations in May 2011. I should like the review to take a wide-ranging and independent examination of the evidence and provide recommendations that identify measures that will result in businesses collectively and individually changing their behaviour and which empower consumers to voice their concerns more effectively. To that end, I have asked Mr Bailey to consider the views of both consumers, particularly parents but also children themselves, and the business community; as well as drawing on the expertise of existing regulators and other experts in the field.

In undertaking his review, I have also asked Mr Bailey to build on the previous reviews conducted by Professor David Buckingham on the impact of the commercial world on children’s wellbeing, by Dr Linda Papadopoulos on the sexualisation of young people, and by Professor Tanya Byron on child safety in a digital world. I have asked Mr Bailey to examine the evidence in these reviews and more recent research and to produce robust and challenging recommendations for Government to consider in the following areas:

Risks of harm of commercialisation and sexualisation and barriers to parenting;

Principles (what is acceptable in this area and what is not);

Consumer voice; and

Corporate social responsibility relating to children.

Copies of the Minister of State for Children and Families’ letter asking Mr Bailey to carry out the review will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.