To dislike ‘deprived area’ being used as a synonym for ‘badly behaved children’

[Dolphincrossing]

Aibu?

To me, it just seems quite rude. ‘You’re poor, so your kids will misbehave.’

Quite an unpleasant attitude really.

There are higher levels of SEN amongst deprived children,so that can be seen is a behavioural factor.

However, I also find this stereotype irritating. A lot of the worst behavior at my children's school is not from the most deprived kids, but boys whose parents have a very permissive attitude t bad behaviour.

I don't think challenging behaviour when I think of a deprived area, but I do thing 'challenges' such as inadequate housing, no transport, no food, very very stressed parents trying to hold it together, lack of equipment and so on.

In many areas isnt it the poorer kids who play out on the street whereas the middle-class keep their kids closeted up in doors?

I teach at an inner city primary school with a very high deprivation index. We have so many lovely children who genuinely want to learn. The parents all want the best for their children. Many families have had difficult circumstances to deal with, a lot of the children haven't had opportunities and life experiences eg visits to museums, being taken to the seaside and aquariums, walks in the forest. Many have never left the local area when you ask them (we taught a Geography unit on our locality). Some children are hungry, tired and stressed when they arrive at school and not ready to learn. Many don't have a proper bedtime and spend a long time in the evenings watching inappropriate net material and gaming. Some are exposed to domestic violence, substance abuse and things no child should have to worry about. Deprivation is a complex issue and not all of the above are linked to poverty but these kids do, in general, have a tough start. They are lovely children but their behaviour can be hard going to manage. We also have 26 languages spoken in school and no extra resoyrces or staffing provided to help the children who speak no English.Trying to encourage them to achieve against the odds is very rewarding, I've been in my job for 10 years and would like to try a different catchment area... i would miss the children though. You do develop a strong relationship with them.

Thank you fruitcider for linking the ACE video.

My experience is very similar to yours rainbowfudgee.

There are often very difficult social issues in deprived areas and that is reflected in some of the behaviour you see. That doesn’t mean overall school behaviour is bad, you just need really strong systems with clear boundaries and consequences. It’s hard work though.

However, I also find this stereotype irritating. A lot of the worst behavior at my children's school is not from the most deprived kids, but boys whose parents have a very permissive attitude t bad behaviour.

This is true, kids need to be taught to behave, though it's definitely not just boys. Girls can be just as disruptive and do just as much bullying as boys.

The proxies for deprivation have been shown to be associated with poorer school,outcomes, whether that's achievement, engagement or behaviour.

Items the reason why pupil premium exists in the way it does a because it targets the demographics where greatest discrepancy exists between performance of that group and typical performance, It's why it also exists for Forces children.

I think it is important that barriers to achievement are recognised and removed as far as possible. It would be a pity if the odd incident of misspeaking or overinterpreting derailed attention from the effects of deprivation and how to counter the adverse ones.

I work in a deprived area.

Of the dcs I know who have had lots of ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) there is an expectation from professionals, schools, parents and the dcs themselves that they will leave school at 16 (at the latest) with few, if any qualifications.

Even if they are seen as smart education isn’t seen as a route out of their environment.

No one ever mentions unis as being a goal or option.

If life at home is so chaotic that mum doesn’t know how to provide childcare from being a looked after child, there’s a revolving door of cohabitees, continual domestic abuse, chronic substance use, depressed and anxious parents, low income and overcrowded, damp housing in a poor state of repair this becomes an inescapable toxic trap. Dcs are angry and stressed and that manifests in ‘difficult’ behaviour. It’s not rocket science.

The real difficulty is that removing a child from this environment and putting them in care causes outcomes to be even worse!

I don't think challenging behaviour when I think of a deprived area

I'd imagine that deprived areas have more crime and anti social behaviour so behaviour must play a part whether due to circumstances or poor parenting.

For me when I think of a deprived area, I think drink or drugs poor parenting, lack of ambition, no pride in the area by residents and poor outcomes for the children who didn't have a choice into the circumstances they were born into. Schools can try with pupil premium etc to break the cycle but role models play an enourmous part and children tend to copy their parents.

I think the more professionals that acknowledge ACEs and know how to work with multiple ACEs instead of fobbing people off as "too complex for my Service" the better. I feel able to talk about ACEs openly because I experienced 6 ACEs myself so know I'm not coming from a place of judgement, but understand it may sound judgmental to others.

YANBU OP.
I often find the way that class and poverty are talked about on mumsnet to be intellectually sloppy and prejudiced.
Using "deprived area" as a synonym for behaviour problems is definatly something I've noticed. Particularly in relation to choosing a school.
I live in an area that tops the Scottish Index on Multiple Deprivation in all but one index. (Top tip: None of the 7 indecese records childrens behaviour) I don't want to sugar coat things. I agree with PP on the toll that poverty takes on children and the relatvely higher rate of Adverse Childhood Experiances (ACE's) in poor communities. And obviously this can impact on behaviour.
However, I also notice that a very strong emphasis is placed on good behaviour in my area. I can be a bit hippy-dippy permissive in my parenting and I have definatly noticed other Mums give me the side eye for not stepping in quickly enough on bad behaviour. Much more so than in middle class areas.
Part of this is that people are aware of the negative stereotypes and do everything they can to demonstrate that they don't apply to them. Its very that children are clean and well dressed. Its very important that they are polite.

I sometimes joke that its a bloody good thing I managed to claw my way into the lower middle classes because in a million years I will never be respectable enough to be respectable working class. The standards are high.