The popular image of Britain's teenagers as violent, promiscuous and drunk has even made it over the Atlantic and into the pages of Time magazine. America's leading news weekly concluded in a 26 March article that 'Britons are frightened of their young,' while children are 'cold-shouldered by grown-ups' and living with 'very little meaningful engagement with adults'.
The comments, though contentious, were at least timely, coming just after plans were unveiled for an innovative centre designed to promote greater understanding between the generations and bring benefits across the community by having young and old work together.
In what will be the first venture of its kind in the UK, the London Borough of Merton is using children's centre funding and a £1.5m award from the London Development Agency to create an intergenerational centre and children's centre under the same roof.
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