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All year we've been subjected to horrendous stories about the abuse, neglect of and general lawlessness of young people. Statistics suggest we've never had a more negative view of children than we do today.
Half of the 2,021 adults interviewed recently by felt that children were increasingly a danger to others.
About 54% of the adults questioned thought that British children were "beginning to behave like animals".
More than a third of those surveyed also agreed that "it feels like the streets are infested" with children, while 43% said something had to be done to protect adults.
For The One Show, Anita Rani has been to see some of the major children's organisations - some of whom think society as a whole radically needs to rethink its attitude and behaviour towards children.
Barnardo's has spoken out and blamed the media for whipping up hostility to children.
But the Daily Mail's Stephen Glover questioned whether the media encourages older people to hate children. He told Anita that the "gap between children and adults is wider now than it has been."
And "The family is much less strong in this country than it was 25 or 50 years ago... there are lots of causes... too easy divorce... too much promiscuity... these are things that are chipping away at the unity of the family."
See also: 听- the website of the Children's Commissioner for England (external website).
Do you believe that children are "beginning to behave like animals"? What causes our negative view of children?听Or are children the same as they've ever been?听Have your say in the comment box, below.
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