Boys and Girls Alone

[tammyy2j]

Getting underway tonight, documentary-wise, is BOYS AND GIRLS ALONE, a controversial experiment designed to see how kids would cope if given the chance to set up their own parent-free communities.

With their mums and dads stationed just a short distance away, and with trained chaperones monitoring the situation around the clock to ensure complete safety, these 8-11-year-olds are taken to a rural holiday village and split into two groups (ten girls and ten boys).

Each group is then left to its own devices for two weeks, deciding on its own rules, etc.

[Siobhan]

didn't they do this before? If I remember right the boys destroyed the house

[Rawnie]

Yes, my mum was telling me about how there were coco pops everywhere, and in the end the kids realised they needed to have some sort of control and leadership in living without adults.

It reminds me of the Lord of the Flies

[Siobhan]

Did anyone watch this? I missed it last week but caught it last night.. it was really interesting.. it is amazing how the group dynamics worked

[Perdita]

Childcare specialists have called for TV show Boys And Girls Alone to be axed amid claims that it is "emotionally abusing" participants.

The Channel 4 reality programme features children left to their own devices in cottages in Cornwall so that they can experience life without their parents for a fortnight. Two episodes of the show have already been aired and there are two remaining.

Cornwall County Council has written to Channel 4 and watchdog Ofcom calling for the second two episodes to be axed, reports the BBC.

Ruby Parry, Cornwall County Council's assistant director for social care and family services, said in a letter to Channel 4 that the programme experiments with the "emotional and psychological welfare of children" and "raised serious safeguarding issues".

She added that some of the children were distressed in the first episode, which she termed as "abusive".

Andrew Mackenzie, Channel 4's head of factual entertainment, said that the children's welfare was the "first priority when filming", adding that all programmes were made in consultation with the relevant Ofcom guidelines.

[Siobhan]

Well they showed the second one on tuesday so it is a bit late now

[Abbie]

I havent watched it but I think its a difficult one, I mean yes theres lots to consider but I cant help but think it sounds like a very interesting thing to do