Bailey Review: crackdown on sexualised media culture to protect children

Reg Bailey, chief executive of Christian charity the Mothers’ Union, who led the independent review, said parents felt that they had no control over the increasingly sexualised culture surrounding their children. Other key recommendations from his report Letting children be children, aimed at protecting children include:

Mr Bailey said, ‘Society has become increasingly full of sexualised imagery. This has created a wallpaper to children’s lives. Parents feel there is "no escape" and no "clear space" where children can be children.

‘I want to put the power back in parents’ hands so they can better manage the pressures on their children and make it easier for them to bring up their children the way they want.

‘Parents need encouragement to feel they can change things and that their voices will be heard. Regulators, businesses and broadcasters should do more to connect with parents – it’s not enough for them to work out what is acceptable from what people complain about afterwards. I hope that they see that it’s good business if you look out for families. Then we can all help to make Britain a more family-friendly place.’

Children’s minister Sarah Teather said, ‘I’m very grateful to Reg for his insightful and thorough review, and for recommending a set of practical measures to help parents protect their children in the increasingly sexual and commercial world we live in.

‘It is not Government's role to interfere in family life. But parents often tell me that they would like more support so that they can navigate the rapidly-changing technological and commercial world. Reg’s review shows the way for business and Government to give them this support.’

In a letter to Mr Bailey, Prime Minister David Cameron said, ‘We will look carefully and consider our response to all your recommendations. But I note that many of the actions you suggest are for business and regulators to follow rather than for government. I support this emphasis, as it is consistent with the Government’s overall approach and my long held belief that the leading force of progress should be social responsibility, not state control.’

He also gave the go-ahead for ‘a single, user-friendly’ website to be set up for parents to help them to complain about inappropriate content.

A meeting will be held at Downing Street in October with retailers, advertisers, video games manufactures, magazine editors and others, to work on the recommendations.