Boys just thumb their noses at any parental authority

A FIFTH of boys as young as 10 are staying out late without telling their parents where they are.

Girls are less likely to do so, with one in six staying out without their parents’ knowledge, according to a new study.

The report, conducted as part of the Understanding Society study of 40,000 UK households, suggests that the odds of a child staying out without permission is not simply down to “bad parenting” – coming from a rich or poor background makes little difference.

The research is based on a survey of more than 2,000 10-to-15-year-olds. The youngsters were asked how often they stayed out past 9pm without their parents knowing their whereabouts.

The findings show that at least once in a month, 21 per cent of boys and 15 per cent of girls aged 10-to-15 years old reported staying out late without telling their parents.

Among 15-year-olds, more than a third (36 per cent) of boys and almost a quarter of girls (24 per cent) admitted to doing so.

A small minority of 15-year-olds (7 per cent of boys and 5 per cent of girls) regularly stay out late without their parents knowledge, the report adds.

The report notes that the issue of staying out late has become relevant “against the backdrop of the riots in 2011, with ‘poor parenting’ being blamed in some quarters for the disturbances”.

It found that family income, being in a step family, and the numbers of family members at home does not increase the risk of a youngster staying out late.

However, living in social housing or with a single mother, does increase their chances of this happening.