Showing Adolescence in schools could be ‘catastrophic’: Victim support organisation warns that ‘knee-jerk’ plan backed by Keir Starmer could encourage children to seek out violent content and become radicalised_nhy
Showing Adolescence in schools could be ‘catastrophic’ and spur children on to seek out violent content online, a leading victim support organisation has warned.
The news comes after it was announced the chilling Netflix drama would be made available for free at secondary schools across Britain.
The four-part show has proven a global phenomenon, being viewed almost 100million times since its release, and sparking a nationwide debate on misogyny and online safety for children.
It depicts the horrifying story of 13-year-old Jamie Miller who stabs his female classmate to death after becoming sucked into the so-called ‘incel’ (involuntary celibate) culture.
So potent is its story, it led to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meeting with Adolescence’s creators in Downing Street before saying he backed the move to make the ‘groundbreaking’ series available in schools.
But the PM has today been accused of a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction ‘based on fear’ by the heads of VictimFocus, who said the Government was trying to seize upon the ‘public spectacle’ stirred up by Netflix drama.
Jaime Shrive and psychologist Dr Jessica Taylor have urged Labour to U-turn on the decision, warning in an open letter that to plough ahead with it risked ‘triggering’ vulnerable young children and ‘re-exposing them to trauma’.
‘It is very much a knee-jerk reaction,’ Ms Shrive, director of VictimFocus, told MailOnline. ‘The Government are wanting to home in on the public spectacle Adolescence has caused but all of this is absolutely happening too quickly.
Fears have been raised about Adolesence being shown in secondary schools. Pictured is a scene from the Netflix series, showing ‘Jamie’ (played by star Owen Cooper) being arrested
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction by saying he backed the move to have Adolescence shown in schools (the PM is seen on Monday in Downing Street)
Jaime Shrive (pictured), director of VictimFocus, warned Adolescence should not be rolled out in schools as it could potentially do more harm than good
‘We can’t just blanket-roll something like this out to secondary schools, where children as young as 11 will see it.
‘We know the damage that may be caused could be potentially catastrophic.’
She added: ‘It’s important that Adolescence has sparked those conversations – and it is an excellent drama… But rolling it out across secondary schools is absolutely the wrong thing to do. Topics like this need to be done in a controlled and thought-through environment, not just rushed up.’
VictimFocus is an organisation working internationally with police, government, and professionals to improve responses to abuse, trauma, and violence through ‘evidence-based, trauma-informed practice’.
The group’s letter has been backed by more than 1,000 people. A large number of supporters were parents, teachers, psychologists and therapists who work with children, Ms Shrive said.
In it, it warns teachers are ‘not equipped or resourced to manage the impact’ of showing Adolescence to pupils.
Highlighting a ‘lack of guidance, structure or testing as an educational resource’, the letter warned: ‘Teachers are not specialists in male violence, trauma, radicalisation or abuse, and yet they would be expected to handle disclosures, emotional distress, defensive and triggered responses, and controversial discussions following this content. This is neither fair nor safe.’
The document continued by claiming there was ‘no evidence’ that showing ‘distressing content’ to pupils would lead to a change in behaviour.
Campaigners fear some of the content in Adolescence is too risky to show to children in secondary schools. Pictured is a worried-looking Jamie Miller in the show
Jamie and his father (played by Stephen Graham, seen right) speak to a solicitor before police interview him over the death of one of his classmates in Adolescence
In fact, Ms Shrive and Dr Taylor warned the exact opposite could happen, potentially ‘normalising radicalisation rather than preventing it’.
‘With Adolescence being shown with no support or guidance, it will cause more curiosity for some children already at risk of racialism,’ Ms Shrive told MailOnline.
‘The likelihood of them ending up on dangerous sub-Reddits and in Twitter groups could increase and push that radicalisation further.’
She continued: ‘It is also likely to distress some children. We already know pastoral care and school counsellors are stretched to their maximum capacity.
‘We also know a significant amount of children have already faced some form of domestic physical abuse, whether in the family or by peers. If this isn’t handled carefully, those children could become triggered and disassociated.’
In a post on X, psychologist Dr Jessica Taylor also feared the rollout could cause more harm than good.
In a post on X, psychologist Dr Jessica Taylor feared the rollout could cause more harm than good.
Psychologist Dr Jessica Taylor (left) and Jaime Shrive (right), head of VictimFocus, have urged Labour to U-turn on the decision
‘Whilst it is a fantastic, gritty piece of writing, Adolescence is not an educational resource and is not suitable for schools,’ she wrote. ‘Teachers cannot be expected to roll this out, and this cannot be a knee jerk response.’
The drama explores how online influencers, such as self-described misogynist Andrew Tate, can impact children’s views and lead them to violence.
Speaking on Monday, Sir Keir admitted he ‘found it really hard’ to watch the programme with his teenage children, said he supported the decision to make the ‘groundbreaking’ series available at schools.
‘As a father, watching this show with my teenage son and daughter, I can tell you – it hit home hard,’ the PM said in a statement after the meeting with co-writer, Jack Thorne.
‘As I see from my own children, openly talking about changes in how they communicate, the content they’re seeing, and exploring the conversations they’re having with their peers is vital.’
Showing the series will ‘help students better understand the impact of misogyny, dangers of online radicalization and the importance of healthy relationships,’ his office added.
In the wake of the issues raised by the four-parter, schools are now set to give students anti-misogyny lessons in wake of the show.
Adolescence director Philip Barantini has celebrated after it was announced the hit Netflix drama will be made available for free at all schools across Britain
Netflix’s decision comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with creators of Adolescence at Downing Street on Monday
The classes will form part of the Government’s new relationships, health and sex education (RHSE) guidance, which will be introduced before the end of the academic year.
Though Labour’s classroom guidance is still being developed, it is understood to include content to ‘support healthy relationships’, to ‘enable schools to tackle harmful behaviour and ensure that misogyny is stamped out and not allowed to proliferate’, an insider source said, the Times reported.
From as early as primary school, children will be encouraged to ‘express and understand boundaries, handle disappointment and pay attention to the needs and preferences of oneself and others’, with content modified for older children to reflect the ‘real-life complexities of romantic and sexual relationships’, the source added.
However, Ms Shrive has insisted Adolescence has no place in the classroom.
‘It’s commendable the new Government are doing so much in this area around children offending, abuse and toxic masculinity – and I do think it’s done with a good heart,’ she said.
‘But rolling Adolescence out to secondary schools is the wrong approach… it should be stopped.’
