This document discusses 4 steps for understanding real children in the UK today. Step 1 is to recognize the similarities between all children, such as basic needs. Step 2 is to represent diversity and acknowledge differences in things like region, ethnicity, family type, and economic status. Step 3 is to understand the different contexts and influences in children's lives, such as school, home, and online activities. Step 4 is to explore and acknowledge individual differences between children in terms of personality, interests, challenges, and needs. The overall goal is to gain a holistic understanding of children's lives in order to communicate and conduct research in a way that represents all groups.

1. Challenging ‘Cool’,
Talking ‘Real’
Date 29th January 2015 Prepared by Jo Cliff

2. Grab a partner…..
And either role play ……………….
Or discuss what you think children are like in the UK
today.

3. Get real!
• 48% kids say a brand is
cool if it helps them to
express who they are.
• That means we need to
understand who they
are…..
• AND DISPEL THE
STEREOTYPES
• Here’s our 4 steps for
understanding real kids

4. 4 Steps…
Step 1 Recognise the similarities
Step 2 Represent Diversity
Step 3 Understand the context
Step 4 Explore and acknowledge
the differences

5. Step 1 Recognise the similarities

6. Kids have the same basic
needs
Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy

8. Celebrity
Vloggers
Teachers,
Leaders
Wider
family
Friends
Parents
and
siblings
Time, Connections and
Influences
“My mum and dad.
They are my parents
and I love them. Girl,
aged 9
“I watch Carrie on
YouTube, she talks about
having confidence and
believing in herself, she is
only 21.” (Girl aged 17)
“Mr Brown is my
biggest influence.. He
runs the football club,
he is ace at football
and really fair with the
team.” (Boy aged 11)

9. Self-esteem under attack!
In the
spotlight
Constant
testing
“There is so much pressure on
children they are starting to
become stressed and anxious
earlier down the school”
Secondary Teacher
Compared and judged against
limited criteria

10. Kids can be very materialistic
Stuffication23
18
9 8
6 6 6 5 4 4 3 3
“to be rich, well and
truly rich!”
“all the money I would ever
need to live my dream life
(billions)”

11. Kids need experiences and are
being denied them
“I started boxing
but it got really
expensive with all
the stuff I needed
and subs every
week so I had to
stop.”
(Girl aged 13)
“Some of the
older kids drink
on the park so
my mum
doesn’t like me
to go up there.”
(Girl aged 10)

12. Step 2
Represent
Diversity

13. }

14. If your focus is too narrow you
are in danger of missing the
whole picture
c. 13.3 million
dependent children
across the UK
(according to 2013 population
estimates office of national statistics)

15. % of all 0-15s in each region
7%
8%
4%
11%
8%
9%
9%5%
14%14%
8%
We could be missing out on
some key differences by only
focussing on certain regions
• Children get the most amount of
pocket money in Scotland
• London, Liverpool, Manchester,
Birmingham and Leeds
constituency have over 50%
single parent households
• Children in SW spend more time
playing inside than anywhere else
in the Country

16. • 63% live with both biological parents
• 29% single parent families
• 8% live with a step-parent and biological parent (blended family)
We need to identify and
represent different family types
and backgrounds
“I want to be a daddy when I
grow up. Mine’s not very good.”
(Boy aged 11)
“I am kind of multi-tasking. My sister
needs help with her homework and
my brother says come and play,. My
mum is doing the cooking and my
dad is at work and I have got my
own homework to do too.” (Girl
aged 13)

17. Almost a third of all UK children (3.5 million) are
living in poverty
• 26% of children in the U.K. can't go on a holiday away from home for
one week per year. Poverty and social exclusion research 2013
• 1 in 10 go without one or more basic item of clothing
• 1 in 10 can't afford to go to clubs or after school activities
“One of my pupils went to
Meadowhall shopping centre on
the train for her 10th birthday. It was
the first time she had been on a
train and outside of Barnsley, I
couldn’t believe it.” (Primary school
teacher)
“Not many of our kids go away
on holiday, some go with the
children’s holiday scheme.”
(Youth worker)
…the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’

19. Nearly three in 10 primary
school children are classed
as being an ethnic minority.
Ensure children from different
cultures are represented and
able to participate
“The Big Bang Theory – we don’t
believe in that because we are
Muslims.” (Girl aged 13)
More than 18 per cent of
primary school pupils have
a first language that is not
English
“The parents of children from ethnic
minorities are much stricter when it
comes to homework.” (Primary
teacher)
Figures released by DFE in 2014. A survey of the nation's classrooms, which provides an accurate
snapshot of the composition of schools in England,

20. Step 3 Understand the context

21. SchoolHome
Online
c.20% of children‘s waking
hours are spent at school
“Teachers have to fulfil the
supportive parental role, it’s
very difficult.” (Secondary
school teacher)
Average 1hr 45 mins online
and 1 hour on social media
“My favourite thing to do is
go on Minecraft.”
(9 year old boy)
“I spend most of my time in
my bedroom.” (13 year old
girl)
“We watch TV together in
the evening. It’s one of the
only time we’re all
together.”
Source:Platypus Kid’s Media Report (1000 kids aged 8-16 years)

22. Why is it important?
• Connections/influences
• Challenges/pressures
• Language
• Interests
• Personalities

23. Step 4 Explore and acknowledge
the differences

25. “I have three children
and they are all
completely different!”“The year 7s are so different.”
“There’s the group that likes
playing board games at
break time…..”
“…..a group that hang
about the canteen and talk
phones and handbags….”
“…..a group who go in the
Art room….”
“…..and the ones who play
football on the field….”
The sensitive one
The joker
The socialite
Children are different….

26. 6
2
All children to
feel confident in
taking part in
research (ie:
talkative/chatty).
1 in 3 adults likely to be
introverted.......
much higher in kids
By developing a range of techniques that encourage
different types of feedback we can make it easier for all
personalities to get their voices heard.
16% of all school aged
children are classed as
having a special education
need

27. What now?
Analysis
Multi
region,
ethnicity,
family
type,
Recruitment
Commun-
ication
needs
Ethno-
graphy
Comm-
unities
Influencers
Approaches
Verbal
and non
verbal,
Play,
Child
Experts
Techniques
Content
Translations
Varied
versions
Ask the right
questions
By region,
culture,
personality,
cluster
analysis

29. In the name of representing and
understanding children’s individuality and
uniqueness I,
____________________________________________
(name and company)
pledge to …
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Photograph and email to jo.cliff@platypusresearch.com or tweet
@Platypus_ www.platypusresearch.com
My Pledge