Staying Safe and Out of Trouble: A survey of young peoples perceptions and experiences - Essay Example

This method was done in order to learn and point out problematic behaviours among year 10 mainstream state school pupils such as bullying, gang membership and carrying weapons both in and out of school. A questionnaire type survey was used in the research in order to know the children’s thoughts on feeling safe and connected in school and to learn about the problems they encounter. The questions in the survey were based on the surveys done both internationally and nationally in order to have basis of comparison if the results obtained were the same in other surveys.

These questionnaires were conducted face to face with the children in some schools, allowing them to emphasize the seriousness of the issues being raised and the importance of answering the questions honestly. This approach was used because the aim of the research is to point out the problematic behaviour in year 10 children and be able to convey to professionals working with these children on the problems and be able to produce strategies accordingly. The study was focused on increasing the awareness regarding the behaviours specially that of carrying weapons whether in and out of school (Hayden, 2008).

The said method is appropriate for the research because its aim was to provide evidence to children’s services and the police about the prevalence and inter-connection of issues regarding school safety, bullying, and gang membership and carrying of weapons, for a cross-section of 14-15 year olds attending mainstream schools. The survey also aimed to give other schools and institutions data that could inform policy development in regarding these issues. Since these were the aims of the study which are: language-oriented and emphasis communication and meaning; ‘descriptive/interpretive’ in character, providing descriptions and interpretations of social phenomena and include