The Crime Survey for England and Wales includes interviews with young people aged between 10 and 15 years old. The data gathered in the Crime Survey is used by departments such as the Home Office to understand levels of crime among this age group. This information is used to help these professionals work towards reducing crime against young people.
Young people who take part in the survey will receive a certificate to say thank you.
It is important to ask young people about their views and experiences to help tackle and prevent crime against them. As a result of this survey, important new information about young people and crime has been discovered. For example, we now know that 10 to 15 year olds are more likely to be a victim of violent crime than adults - a finding that would not otherwise have been highlighted.
The survey for 10 to 15 year olds is much shorter than the adult survey, lasting around 20 minutes. The survey includes questions about experience of crime, drinking alcohol, drug use, online activity, online safety, and bullying.
Any questions can be skipped and all personal information is kept confidential. Names and addresses are not stored with the data.
Both the young people who take part, and their parent(s) or guardian(s), are sent a risk rating following the interview based on the answers the young people give about their online behaviour. This risk rating does not include any of their specific answers. More information can be found here.
Permission will always be obtained from a parent or guardian before any interview is conducted with anyone aged 10 to 15.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales information leaflet gives more information on what the survey will involve and how the information is used.
Part of the questionnaire used to collect information from children asks about their use of the internet and how they behave online. It includes questions about the types of things they do online and whether they have had any negative experiences online. This covers topics like sharing personal information and meeting strangers online, as well as online bullying. Children aged 13 to 15 are also asked about sending or receiving sexual messages.
We calculate a risk rating or low, medium, or high for each section in the module. These sections are; online bullying, speaking to strangers, meeting strangers, and for 13 to 15 year olds, sending, and receiving images of a sexual nature. The highest rating across all these sections is then taken as the overall risk rating for you child.
After the interview, we will write to the parent/guardian and child, with the child’s risk rating.
This rating is only based on the types of online behaviour asked about in the survey and cannot account for any behaviour or activity not covered in the survey. The rating relies on the answers given by the child and may not cover every aspect of their online activity.
If you would like to see the questions asked in the 10 to 15 year old survey, you can download the full questionnaire here.
If you would like to see the questions used in the Online Behaviour Risk Rating, you can download the risk rating questions here.
You can talk to a counsellor about anything that is worrying you
Website: www.childline.org.uk
Tel: 0800 1111
For help and advice on how to stay safe online
Website: www.thinkuknow.co.uk
Or call Childline on: 0800 1111
Provides help and advice for any drug related issues
Website: www.talktofrank.com
Tel: 0300 1236600 or text 82111
For help and advice if you are being bullied
Website: www.antibullyingpro.com/support-centre
Or call Childline on: 0800 1111
For help and support for parents about online safety
Website: www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety
Tel: 0808 800 5000
For information on how to help your child stay safe online
Website: www.thinkuknow.co.uk
For information on how to help your child stay safe online
Website: www.internetmatters.org