It may not be what you want to hear as a parent, but startling new research released by BT in conjunction with ChildLine reveals that 57% of adults agree that they don't listen and act on what young people say.

The BT ChildLine 'Are Young People Being Heard' Report found that less than half (47%) those under 16 feel they are being heard. The report details that children and young people believe that teachers, doctors, parents, the police, shops, businesses, government and local councils do not listen enough. It also highlights what children and young people believe are the important issues and the barriers that currently stop their views from being heard.

The findings also highlighted some marked differences between the issues that young people want to speak out about and the issues that adults believe they are interested in. The main barriers that stop children talking are: embarrassment (87%), getting into trouble (66%) and not wanting to get someone else into trouble (58%). Key issues for adults are time. By listening, children believe adults could improve the confidence of young people, resolve many problems and help stop young people being abused.

That said, as an adult, you are a more important than you realise, as 78% of kids surveyed said that they felt parents and guardians were a dependable source of information. Family nights together, encouraging talking and listening and having young advisors/counsellors in schools were all stated as ways to improve communication.

Interesting Facts and Figures
Since its launch in 1986 ChildLine has helped over 1 million children.

• The BT 'Are Young People Being Heard' Report revealed that the voice of children in the UK is not being heard:
• Only 47% of children and young people agree that adults listen to young people and act on what they hear
• 61% of children and young people agree that they have the right to say what they think as opposed to 27% of adults
• 78% of young people said that parents/guardians are an important source of information (adults said 73%)
• 88% of adult women think that listening to young people is very important as opposed to 78% of men
• The best listeners are friends (89%)

Both groups agreed that listening to children and young people could:
Improve understanding between adults and young people (children 80% adults 67%)
Improve the confidence of young people (children 67% adults 55%)
Help resolve problems (children 64% adults 59%)

Top six most important issues for children and young people to talk about are:
1. Bullying (65%);
2. Sex and relationships (58%);
3. Problems with school (53%);
4. Coping with a death in the family (44%);
5. Abuse (43%);
6. Drugs (39%).

Barriers that stop children talking to adults (according to children) are:
- they feel embarrassed (87%)
- they think they might get into trouble (66%)
- they don't want to get someone else into trouble (58%)

Top five things young people believe they should have a say on are:
1. How schools could improve things (73%)
2. How to have more fun as a family (63%)
3. How police treat young people (62%)
4. How the council could improve local services (61%)
5. How we could improve our home life (56%)

Adults are out of touch with how young people get their information.

• Parents/guardians are valued as a more important source of information than adults realise - 78% of c&yp say they are a source of information (adults said 73%)
• TV news, newspapers and the radio are almost twice as likely to be a source of information for children and young people than adults believe:

For further findings see www.bt.com/betterworld