TEEN REPORT CARD REFLECTS NEED FOR PARENTS, ADULTS TO PREVENT CHILDREN FROM RUNNING AWAY
National Runaway Switchboard Offers Insight Into Runaway Prevention
CHICAGO (June 16, 2005) – American parents and adults need to do more in stopping teens from running away and understanding why teens leave home, according to the National Runaway Switchboard (NRS), commenting on today’s announcement of the eighth annual UCAN (Uhlich Children's Advantage Network) Teen Report Card, which asked more than 1,000 American teens ages 12 to 19 to grade adults in their lives.
Overall, American adults took home a disappointing report card. The Teen Report Card reveals more “F” grades for adults across the board than ever before, with only two of the 24 “life subjects” included in the survey showing improvement. But the report wasn’t all bleak for parents. Adults can find hope in one area showing improvement this year – “understanding why teens leave home” jumped from a “D+” in 2005 to a “C” in 2006.
“Although American adults received passing grades in 'understanding why teens leave home’ and ‘stopping teens from running away,’ there is room for improvement,” said Maureen Blaha, executive director of NRS, a co-sponsor of the Teen Report Card. “NRS is a resource for parents and adults to gain a better understanding of issues their child may be dealing with and runaway prevention. Our website – www.1800RUNAWAY.org – offers tips and information that help keep America’s runaway and at-risk youth safe and off the streets.”
Understanding Why Teens Leave Home – C
When asked about parent’s understanding of why teens leave home, 34 percent of teens graded them with a C, followed by 21 percent who gave a D. Thirteen percent of teens say parents are failing in this area, an improvement from 24 percent a year ago.
Stopping Teens From Running Away – C+
Parents and adults graded okay in stopping teens from running away – 71 percent of teens gave a passing grade (A, B, or C) – but 18 percent of teens graded parents with a nearly failing grade of D, while the remaining 11 percent failed parents in this category.
About the UCAN Teen Report Card:
Created and sponsored by the Chicago-based UCAN, the UCAN Teen Report Card is an annual measure of adult progress on issues affecting teens, as graded by teens themselves. Conducted in January and February of 2006, the survey is a representative sampling of teens across the country. Teens received the questions via a mail survey, with the results weighted to reflect regional, ethnic and gender distribution across the U.S. The research division of the Child Welfare League of America, Washington, D.C., provided long-term trend analysis of the grades received by the adults and facilitated the participation of its member agencies in L.A., D.C. and Baltimore.
The survey was conducted for UCAN by the nation’s premier research organization on teenage attitudes and trends, Teenage Research Unlimited, in Northbrook, Ill. The survey carries a +/- 3 percent margin of sampling error. A full copy of the UCAN Teen Report Card, including all grades and ancillary materials and a teen/adult discussion guide, can be found at: www.ucanchicago.org.
About the National Runaway Switchboard:
The National Runaway Switchboard, established in 1971, serves as the federally-designated national communication system for homeless and runaway youth. Recognized as the oldest hotline of its kind in the world, NRS, with the support of more than 150 volunteers, has handled more than 3 million calls in its 35-year history and handles an average of 100,000 calls annually. NRS provides crisis intervention, referrals to local resources, and education and prevention services to youth, families and community members throughout the country 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Over 10,000 youth have been reunited with their families through NRS’ Home Free program done in collaboration with Greyhound Lines, Inc. The NRS crisis hotline is 1-800-RUNAWAY. For more information, visit www.1800RUNAWAY.org.
Contact:
Joel Kessel
For the National Runaway Switchboard
(773) 929-6805
jkessel@rcn.com
