Advice for parents

Parental support

Even with good parental support, our young can be easily attracted into negative peers despite our best efforts. Similarly whilst recognising the negative of becoming involved in a gang, we must also see the positives that attract youngsters to join them, and the valid reason why youngsters would want to be part of such a collective group. If we do not recognise this, we will continue to find it hard to understand gangs and negative peer groups. 

The fantasy

Young people are exposed to images of gangs on the TV, in movies and through rap music. These tend to glorify drugs, sex, and violence as an acceptable lifestyle and do not show the truth about gangs and the destruction they can cause for families, friends and the communities we live in.

Young people join gangs for lots of reasons, some are good and some are bad. They may ‘hang out’ on the streets with mates as a way of keeping safe and avoiding trouble.

Be on the look out for warning signs that suggest your child may be involved in a gang

Visual signs

  • Gang symbols: on schoolbooks, pencil cases, bags, bedroom posters and personal possessions.
  • Clothing: young people wearing certain colours relating to specific gangs
  • Hand signals: sometimes hand signals are given by individuals to show which gang they are aligned.
  • Post codes: young people often align themselves to post codes.

Behaviour

  • A rise in truancy
  • Sudden changes in your child’s selection of friends.
  • An increased number of social groups with unusual ‘gang’ names your child is hanging around with.
  • Your child may experience bullying and pressure to join a gang.
  • They may be vague or secretive about their activities.
  • Possessing relatively large sums of money or bringing expensive items home.
  • Getting in trouble with the police.

IT

  • Be aware of the websites your child is viewing. Social networking sites can give access to images and words glorifying gang culture.
  • Chat rooms and texts can be used to bully young people to join gangs.

Music

  • Rap music associated with gangs can be threatening and violent.
  • Know what your children are listening to.

If you notice any of these signs or patterns of behaviour, get help and support.  Use our links page for further resources.