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| Children 'need sex advice sooner' | Children 'need sex advice sooner' |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Children should be given advice on adult issues much sooner because of earlier puberty, a report says. | Children should be given advice on adult issues much sooner because of earlier puberty, a report says. |
| It says social problems such as alcohol abuse, unprotected sex and self harm may result from children receiving information on these topics too late. | It says social problems such as alcohol abuse, unprotected sex and self harm may result from children receiving information on these topics too late. |
| The study, from Liverpool John Moores University Centre for Public Health, says the age at which puberty begins has come down for the past 150 years. | The study, from Liverpool John Moores University Centre for Public Health, says the age at which puberty begins has come down for the past 150 years. |
| It is published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. | It is published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. |
| The gap between when children are developing and coming into adulthood and when adult information is dispensed is the longest it's ever been Dr Mark Bellis | The gap between when children are developing and coming into adulthood and when adult information is dispensed is the longest it's ever been Dr Mark Bellis |
| The report says there have been no attempts to develop young people faster, leaving "an increasing gap between physical puberty - changes to their bodies - which tends to happen at around 12, and social puberty - when they are able to make decisions for themselves". | |
| This, it argues, can result in unprotected sex, substance abuse, self harm, violence and bullying. | This, it argues, can result in unprotected sex, substance abuse, self harm, violence and bullying. |
| Dr Mark Bellis, one of the report's authors, said: "Children who are now developing at an earlier stage need a different approach. | Dr Mark Bellis, one of the report's authors, said: "Children who are now developing at an earlier stage need a different approach. |
| "Information often regarded as adult on sex, relationships and dealing with issues of conflict is currently given to them when it is too late. | "Information often regarded as adult on sex, relationships and dealing with issues of conflict is currently given to them when it is too late. |
| "The gap between when children are developing and coming into adulthood and when adult information is dispensed is the longest it's ever been. | "The gap between when children are developing and coming into adulthood and when adult information is dispensed is the longest it's ever been. |
| "So giving it over at a later stage can do more harm than good because children need to get to grips with the changes in their life sooner." | "So giving it over at a later stage can do more harm than good because children need to get to grips with the changes in their life sooner." |
| Developmental problems | Developmental problems |
| Dr Bellis said, because of this delay in receiving adult advice, children can develop problems with sexual health, substance abuse and violence because they are not well-enough equipped to deal with the difficulties they face in life. | Dr Bellis said, because of this delay in receiving adult advice, children can develop problems with sexual health, substance abuse and violence because they are not well-enough equipped to deal with the difficulties they face in life. |
| "What we don't know, and what we should be looking at, is do we have children developing early in poorer areas, which often have a high number of single parent families without a father. | "What we don't know, and what we should be looking at, is do we have children developing early in poorer areas, which often have a high number of single parent families without a father. |
| "We cannot say that puberty is definitely happening earlier in poor areas. | "We cannot say that puberty is definitely happening earlier in poor areas. |
| "But what we are saying is that there are all three factors in these poorer areas - social problems, single-parent families and a high birth rate." | "But what we are saying is that there are all three factors in these poorer areas - social problems, single-parent families and a high birth rate." |
| He said better nutrition and the reduction in child health diseases were "public health reasons" for the earlier development of puberty. | He said better nutrition and the reduction in child health diseases were "public health reasons" for the earlier development of puberty. |
| Puberty may be starting sooner but there's no difference in the age at which children become fertile Professor Gary Butler University of Reading | Puberty may be starting sooner but there's no difference in the age at which children become fertile Professor Gary Butler University of Reading |
| But he added that another factor was the absence of a father in the parental home. | But he added that another factor was the absence of a father in the parental home. |
| "Recent studies in America show a strong relationship between a tendency for puberty to happen earlier when a father is not present. | "Recent studies in America show a strong relationship between a tendency for puberty to happen earlier when a father is not present. |
| "We can't judge children in the 21st century the same way that we did 100 years ago, because they don't look the same and are at a different mental stage then they were back then." | "We can't judge children in the 21st century the same way that we did 100 years ago, because they don't look the same and are at a different mental stage then they were back then." |
| Gary Butler, professor of paediatrics at the University of Reading, said there was a need for sex education to be given earlier, but not because of puberty issues. | Gary Butler, professor of paediatrics at the University of Reading, said there was a need for sex education to be given earlier, but not because of puberty issues. |
| "Giving information earlier needs to be done anyway but not as a result of the age children reach puberty. | "Giving information earlier needs to be done anyway but not as a result of the age children reach puberty. |
| "Puberty may be starting sooner but there's no difference in the age at which children become fertile. | "Puberty may be starting sooner but there's no difference in the age at which children become fertile. |
| "We need to tackle the issue of teenage pregnancies but that's separate from the biological issues." | "We need to tackle the issue of teenage pregnancies but that's separate from the biological issues." |