This essay will explore economic, cultural, and social factors on children and young people’s life chances. The essay will look at poverty, bullying, teen pregnancy and religion and belief using facts and statistics from current professionals in these areas. This will help assess how much of each factor a child can face before any lasting effects that may influence the individual’s life chances. The essay will also look at how our perceptions of the importance of childhood have evolved over the last century or so.
The social constructionism of childhood is the theory that children are a cultural construction, it examines belief, ideas, and images of children. The view of children has changed dramatically over the last century with the importance of childhood being highlighted by many professionals.
Traditionally children have been viewed as “little adults” who reach the age of reason as just 7 years old (Aries, 1962). This is depicted through older artwork where children are shown to be dressed like …show more content…
Western countries such as the UK, tend to view childhood as an important time for development and children are innocent beings who require protection. This is only a recent view of childhood, as children used to work as I have already discussed. It is thought that childhood is only a recent discovery (Aries, 1962). Despite this it is thought that children from other societies were always more independent that western children (Jackson 1982). Today many children are living in third world countries and are exposed to danger on an everyday basis and are often required to fend for themselves as they may have lost their families. Many of these children are growing up traumatized and with psychological issues. It is thought that the repercussions for these children will be catastrophic in the future (Rodgers, 2016). These children are not getting the chance to learn and develop as they
The social constructionism of childhood is the theory that children are a cultural construction, it examines belief, ideas, and images of children. The view of children has changed dramatically over the last century with the importance of childhood being highlighted by many professionals.
Traditionally children have been viewed as “little adults” who reach the age of reason as just 7 years old (Aries, 1962). This is depicted through older artwork where children are shown to be dressed like …show more content…
Western countries such as the UK, tend to view childhood as an important time for development and children are innocent beings who require protection. This is only a recent view of childhood, as children used to work as I have already discussed. It is thought that childhood is only a recent discovery (Aries, 1962). Despite this it is thought that children from other societies were always more independent that western children (Jackson 1982). Today many children are living in third world countries and are exposed to danger on an everyday basis and are often required to fend for themselves as they may have lost their families. Many of these children are growing up traumatized and with psychological issues. It is thought that the repercussions for these children will be catastrophic in the future (Rodgers, 2016). These children are not getting the chance to learn and develop as they