SUSTAINED early intervention programmes in nursery and primary can prevent the disturbing lifestyles of disaffected teenagers being accentuated in 10 to 15 years’ time, researchers working on a UK study for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation have reported.
Groups in Cranhill and Ruchazie in Glasgow, Leith and parts of South Edinburgh, and Blantyre in South Lanarkshire were among 14,000 young people who replied to a questionnaire by Communities That Care, whose report was published this week.
Half admitted to committing a crime, one in four 15 and 16-year-olds carried a weapon in the last year and one in four 13 and 14-year-olds confessed to binge drinking. One in four 15 and 16 year-olds is a regular truant.
The study warns that early signs of risk behaviour include “low achievement beginning at primary school, aggressive behaviour, including bullying, lack of commitment and truancy - and school disorganisation”.
Dennis Daly, Scottish director of Communities That Care, said: “Youngsters who are not achieving early on in primary school are much more likely when they are teenagers to be associated with criminal and other problem behaviour.”
Mr Daly added: “Schools have an important role in making sure children do not underachieve in the early years. But this has to be part of a multi-agency approach including police, social work and the community.” He argues that quick fixes do not work and action plans must be part of long-term prevention.
The comments echo controversial Scottish Executive plans to ask teaching and care staff to gather data on under-fives who are at risk from social factors associated in later life with criminal behaviour.
