UK school group threatens to call police on kids playing adult games

Teachers say games show "neglectful" parenting, will alert social services.

by Kyle Orland


A group of school principals in Cheshire, England is warning parents that they will be on the lookout for evidence that children in their care have access to adult video games at home and will "contact the Police and Children's Social Care" if they are made aware of it.

The Nantwich Education Partnership, which represents 16 schools in Cheshire, sent a note to parents last month expressing concern that "several children have reported playing, or watching adults play games which are inappropriate for their age and have described the levels of violence and sexual content they have witnessed." The letter specifically cites Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, and Dogs of War (which we assume is a misnamed mangling of God or War or Gears of War) as inappropriate, and also warns parents that children should not have access to Facebook or WhatsApp accounts before they are old enough.

"Access to these games OR to some social media sites such as those above increases early sexualized behaviours (sometimes harmful) in children AND leaves them vulnerable to grooming for sexual exploitation or extreme violence," the letter reads (as reprinted by The Daily Mail). "If your child is allowed to have inappropriate access to any game or associated product that is designated 18+ we will are [sic] advised to contact the Police and Children’s Social Care as it is neglectful."

Defending the letter to the Sunday Times, drafter Mary Hennessy Jones said it was simply an effort to "help parents... keep their children as safe as possible in this digital era. It is so easy for children to end up in the wrong place and parents find it helpful to have very clear guidelines.”

At least one parent group isn't so enamored with the group's plan, though. “It will be construed by many parents as a threat and it is not helpful," Margaret Morrissey, a representative for lobbying group Parents Outloud told the Times. "If schools want to get the support of parents and gain their confidence, threatening them with social services will not help... To get the social services involved is an absolute disaster because it starts telling parents that we don’t trust you to be responsible for your children."

On the ratings board’s anniversary, we look at some of its more puzzling choices.Since 2012, PEGI ratings have had the force of law in the UK, with potential penalties for retailers that sell games to children below the European rating organizations 12, 16, or 18+ ratings, as appropriate. This is in contrast to the American system, in which ESRB ratings are assigned and enforced voluntarily by the industry and retailers (with widespread success).

Still, this is the first we've heard of parents allowing their own children access to such games being described as "neglectful" to the extent that social services need to be involved. The Nantwich letter pointedly does not call out children's potential access to adult films, TV shows, music, or other entertainment as similarly harmful.