Examples:
Below are some recent examples of Richard's consultancy work:
Nominet’s
Knowthenet Social Age Survey
This survey explored the way more than 1000 children
aged 8-16 use social media platforms. Richard was the
spokesman for this campaign. The survey revealed that:
·Facebook tops the list of sites that kids sign up to
underage with 52% of 8-16 year olds admitting they had
ignored the site’s official age limit - followed by
WhatsApp (40%), BBM (24%), SnapChat (11%) and Ask.fm
(8%). At aged ten, over half (59%) of children have used
a social network.
·children are opening themselves up to potential risks,
with 21% posting negative comments starting from the
average age of 11 and a quarter (26%) hijacking
another’s account and posting without permission.
Furthermore, 43% have messaged strangers starting from
an average age of 12.
·a child’s social media development begins aged nine and
over the next four year period, their internet activity
evolves from simply viewing content online to being
active on social media. At nine, children first access
YouTube and at 10, they start using Internet slang (e.g.
“BRB”, “YOLO”) and instant messaging.
·at 11 years, children are likely to first post an image
or video of themselves, post a nasty comment online and
set up a fake social media profile. At 12, they first try
Twitter and Whatsapp and message someone online they
haven’t met in real life; and at 13, they first try
services like SnapChat and try sexting for the first
time.
Richard’s contribution to the press release was
"The internet offers wonderful experiences for
growing and inquisitive young minds. Yet, as social
media has removed the barriers between a young person's
public and private self, children can become vulnerable
and compulsive online sharing can lead to danger. As
this study shows, children are gaining access to social
media sites at a younger age, which could expose them to
content, people or situations that are out of their
depth and which they're not emotionally prepared for.
Parents can no longer protect children by simply trying
to limit their online experiences. Instead parents need
to maintain an open dialogue and encourage children to
share both good and bad online experiences, talk openly
and straightforwardly with their children about the
risks they may encounter online without scaring them,
and make sure they keep up with the latest social media
crazes and work with their children rather than trying
to control them."
There was substantial press coverage (click
here to view an example).
Richard also gave radio interviews and spoke on Radio
2’s Drivetime Programme about the implications of the
survey’s findings:
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GrowingUpMilkinfo.com Taste For Technology Campaign
When this campaign was launched, Richard provided a
psychological perspective. The press release explained
that:
TV dinners and smartphone suppers begin in toddlerhood
for almost two-thirds of the nation’s little ones
(62%), While almost half of UK parents (41%) see the
everyday meal occasion as an opportunity for family
bonding, the GrowingUpMilkinfo.com research reveals a
majority of toddlers (69%) are often transfixed by a
screen during family mealtimes and would kick up a fuss
if the TV or iPad was switched off.
More than a third of those toddlers watch TV or a DVD
(36%) at the table. Hand-held gadgets are next with
iPads (28%) coming second, followed by smartphones (24%)
and hand-held games (12%). Tantrums (38%) and boredom
(35%) are the main reasons most mums and dads turn to
technology during mealtimes, with just one in twenty
(5%) prioritising the nutrition of their little one at
the table.
GrowingUpMilkinfo.com Child Psychologist, Dr Richard Woolfson comments:
“The family meal is such a wonderful time for
parents and children to share their feelings, thoughts
and ideas through face-to-face communication, while also
providing good nutrition to support toddler growth and
giving parents opportunity to encourage positive eating
habits.
Unfortunately, this Taste For Technology Survey reveals
that a high percentage of parents allow their toddler to
play with a gadget while munching at mealtimes. Although
technology does add new and exciting dimensions to a
toddler’s life, access to IT devices at the family
dining table inevitably distracts children from eating
what’s in front of them, reduces their desire to chat
with others during dinner, and isolates them from the
dynamic communication buzz of the family meal. That’s a
lost opportunity and that’s also why it’s best to make
family-mealtimes a no-gadget zone. After a few initially
protests, your toddler will soon adapt and everyone will
experience the full psychological and nutritional
benefits of an IT-free family meal.”
Richard gave numerous radio and press interviews. He
also made a short video about fussy eaters shown below.
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The McCain 'Food For Thought' Survey.
The Potato Story is an unbranded educational initiative
developed by McCain Foods (GB). Focusing on food
provenance, The Potato Story uses the journey a potato
makes from 'field to fork' to teach children in a fun,
interactive and engaging way.
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In connection with this
educational strategy, McCain conducted the Food
For Thought Survey, which gathered the views of
more than 1500 children aged 7-11 years, about
their understanding food. Richard then compiled
the following contribution to a McCain press
release which attracted wide media interest:
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“Understanding about food and about what constitutes
“healthy food” is an important feature of any strategy
to develop healthy eating habits in childhood. Children
need awareness of where food comes from – and how it is
prepared – in order to know what to eat. Yet the results
of the McCain Food For Thought survey show that many
parents have an uphill struggle when it comes to
building their child’s knowledge of food provenance. In
a time-precious society, family life is hectic, and both
children and parents lead increasingly dynamic and
independent lifestyles, so it’s not surprising that
understanding about food has diminished. Eating
experiences have become dominated by the need to produce
fast and easy meals – where the food actually comes from
and how it is prepared is of less interest. to young
consumers The survey found, for example, that almost 1
in 5 of the children who took part don’t know that
potatoes grow in the ground – and 1 in 10 actually think
they come from chickens! Equally worrying, 7 out of 10
children revealed that they wouldn’t be able to identify
a banana if they saw it in a fruit shop. Children should
have ownership of their own eating experiences. This can
best be achieved through a combination of good food
knowledge, awareness of what makes up a healthy diet,
understanding of how meals are made, and a practical
connection with food preparation. It is never too early
– or too late – for you to start developing your child’s
healthy eating habits.”
McCain organised a very successful radio day in which
Richard was interviewed by a range of radio stations
about the Food For Thought Survey.
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