Winehouse-Doherty celeb culture eroding kids' moral values

London, June 30 : Stars like Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty are leading to erosion of moral values in children, says a report.

According to the report, celebrity culture was leading to bad behaviour and promoting materialism in Brit kids.

The survey conducted over almost 1,200 adults brought forth the concerns of parents about the values children were learning from those around them.

Two thirds of the parents said that children were not as morally as strong as previous generations, as they are more easily led astray.

The study conducted by The Children's Society, cited "preoccupation with celebrity", increasing commercial pressures and declining networks of support from the family as factors responsible for erosion of children's values

Earlier this year, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, insisted a "culture of material competitiveness" was promoting an "acquisitive individualism' at the expense of a sense of community and co-operation.

"Values are central to how we navigate the choices we make throughout our lives," Telegraph quoted Bob Reitemeier, the charity's chief executive, as saying.

"Children develop their values from what they witness and experience through their interaction with adults and other children.

"We ignore the importance of values in human relationships at our peril. And yet, it appears we shy away from in-depth exploration of the place of values in society," he added.

In a poll by GfK NOP, increasing tension between adults and children also emerged as a particular area of concern.

More than half said there was "more conflict" between adults and children now and only a third thought that attitudes towards young people in their local neighbourhood were mostly positive.

The two-year inquiry - launched amid increasing concerns over the state of children's lives - has been taking evidence from a series of experts, parents and children themselves. A final report based on the data will be published next year.

ANI