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Would You Let Your 15 Year Old Son or Daughter Travel around Europe ?

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I just finished reading this article about Kirstie Allsopp getting a message from social services questioning her parenting when she allowed her 15 year old son to travel by train around Europe with a sixteen year old friend

Firstly i wonder who reported her, they had her phone number and the details of the trip so someone must have

Secondly i believe it was done out of spite, with her being a celebrity that appears on tv

There is no specific law saying a minor cannot travel alone or unaccompanied by an adult , only certain conditions such as the child having permission , and train companies do not restrict anyone that age

As she states i think the UK is draconian and social services should find something better and more important to do with their time when there are more important and needy cases to look at

What do you think ?

www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/tv/kirstie-allsopp-visited-social-services-29806676

telmel
3 weeks ago
What do you think of this?+20 points
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Pjran

It might not be against the law but personally I wouldn’t allow my children at that age to travel with a friend. It was a nightmare when my daughter went travelling during her gap year.

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telmel

Pjran Thats a fair comment P

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Jerseydrew

Absolutely ridiculous thing of kirstie allsop to do this. Her son is 15. A minor. If it was going to a festival in the uk that would be bad enough but you can see why you'd allow it if they were 16 a few days after the event but holidaying without an adult in euro is mad

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telmel

Jerseydrew I suppose if the person accompanying her son was 18 or more then it might have been ok, but i see the folly now with him only being 16 J

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MrsCraig

No I wouldn't let my son go travelling around Europe at 15. At that age they are still a minor under the law and whilst I understand there are lots of reasonable 15 years old I still wouldn't trust they could travel round Europe unaccompanied.

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telmel

MrsCraig I dont think it helps we live in such a dangerous world now M also

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eyeballkerry

I totally agree with everyone so far and would not allow any of my children at the age to travel without a responsible adult. I was bad enough when they went on school trips away. My daughter went to the isle of wight for a few days with her school, luckily her aunt was a TA and went on the trip.

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telmel

eyeballkerry Most school trips are organised and with adult supervision E, so relatively safe E, but worrying all the same

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eyeballkerry

telmel When my son was younger they went on a residential trip which was wasn’t too far. He went off with wellingtons and came back in slippers. They had lost his wellies.

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telmel

eyeballkerry Thats not good E

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eyeballkerry

telmel One of my is now 30 years old and went off to Peru on her own. Yes I was worried but she booked a proper tour and was well looked after.

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telmel

eyeballkerry That's good to hear E, it's safer if the trip is organised

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MISSMESSY

No I wouldn’t let my children travel round Europe at 15 . I just don’t feel that it would be safe for them and I couldn’t just rest at home knowing they were out there and anything could happen. Also the fact my son who is near that age can’t find the washing basket never mind anything else 🤣.

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telmel
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Lynibis

Just seen this on This Morning and it horrified me. If the story of 19 yr old Jay Slater, the horrific bush murders in Aussie, the young woman murdered in Japan etc etc I can't conceive of any parent sending a child abroad without an adult.

They are not mature enough to get out of bothersome situations or know whether to trust someone who says I can show you around, put you up for the night etc etc. We all think our kids are mature but they put on a face when the need arises. However, watch them have those famous teen strops if you naysay them.

Two CHILDREN travelling alone are a magnet for the perverts of this world and boys especially are risk takers when parents aren't around. Can't comment on social services but I think it was irresponsible at the least.

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telmel

You are right L, we do live in a world rotten to the core

I posted a while back about how myself and my brother and friends went camping in a field when younger , we were all under 15 and it was so innocent back then

Now you dare not , there are so many evils out there , as you say perverts and with children getting stabbed , i am completely swayed the other way now about this article

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jms19

It’s up to everyone to make their own choice with their kids. If they think they are mature enough to do it then why not? It’s not really like the uk is super safe and europe isn’t.

Obviously there has to be a cut off point and the kids can’t be too young.

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telmel

jms19 Don't sway me back J , i think i will snap 😵‍💫

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Leannexxx

I wouldn't personally but I think it would have to depend on the child some children are way ahead of their time

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telmel

That's true L, some 15 year olds look and act much older than they are

I was lucky to have a few whiskers on the chin at that age, now some lads at 15 can have full beards

Here's one 15 year old lad having a shave

www.tiktok.com/@jjay_beardedbarber/video/7265522493299969322?lang=en

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PhilipMarc

If it was in the 90's don't see why not, but now? You'd be crazy to allow it.

Have people forgotten what happened to the three little girls in Southport? Or the father walking at night with his kid and wife in Birmingham?

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Consumer

Interesting! Ultimately, if no laws were broken, it simply comes down to parental consent. I wouldn't allow it at that age.

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martinlufc5637

Not a chance of us allowing that at that age, Europe is not safe enough for kids of that age, I wouldn't have let ours go to the coast never mind Europe

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MelissaLee1

No way Jose.

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Pjran

This topic is about to be discussed on BBC radio 2 any minute now with Kirsty by Jeremy Vine.

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telmel
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telmel

Cheers P EDIT

I listened to the discussion P and i am back to my original opinion

Firstly it turns out her son was 2 weeks off 16

Then i heard the opinion of a schoolteacher that said all kids that age are different concerning maturity

So at the end of the day it is the discretion of the parent and how they have been brought up concerning independence

She broke no laws concerning the travel as anyone from the age of 12 is allowed to travel by train and he flew also , again legally

It was interesting what she said about children in Switzerland, the kids have to walk to school , parents are not allowed to drop them off

Besides all that i have never listened to this radio station before and it was quite good , music and discussions, so thanks again P 😀

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