Promoting a 'Duty of Care' towards animals among young people
A collaborative project between CAHRU, the Department of Education & Society (Moray House School of Education) and the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC).
Project Description
As part of the Animal Welfare Act (2006), the concept of a 'duty of care' to animals (DOC) has been extended to all vertebrates managed, used and cared for by humans. A greater proportion of people in the UK are now affected by this legislation as pet owners, and the Act emphasizes promotion of animal welfare as well as prevention of animal cruelty.
Experiences early in life can have long-lasting effects on attitudes and behaviour, therefore this project will review and synthesize evidence to understand how a duty of care towards animals might be successfully promoted to children and young people. The benefits of positive interactions are likely to be reciprocal; therefore an important part of the project will be to identify how involvement with animals and enhanced knowledge benefits young people (particularly in terms of their social skills/awareness and mental well-being).
Alongside preliminary pilot work with children and interviews with stakeholders (organisations/centres focusing on animal welfare/education), a literature review will be carried out in the first 12 months, examining (a) the development of children's understanding of, relationships with, and attitudes towards, animals and (b) approaches to facilitate positive behaviour towards animals in children and young people.
Specific objectives are to:- identify how experience of animals shapes children and young people's perceptions, beliefs and concepts relating to animal welfare (cognitive development);
- identify how attitudes/empathy towards animals are influenced by socio-contextual factors and associated with children's socio-emotional development and psychosocial health;
- describe how psychological and social science methods have been used to investigate the development of knowledge and formation of attitudes concerning animals;
- review interventions that could be used to promote greater knowledge uptake and positive attitudes/behaviour towards animals;
- describe wider benefits to children and schools that may result from greater interactions with animals, as well as constraints that may inhibit involvement in schools and other settings;
- assess what the UK can learn from other countries in terms of the development of approaches to promote a DOC.
Timescale
3 years (2008-2011) (pending review)
Phase One: 1st October 2008 - 30th September 2009
Review, preliminary pilot work & interviews with stakeholders
Phase Two & Three: 1st October 2009 - 30th September 2011
Developing the work based on recommendations from the first phase of the project.
Funding
The project is funded by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Contacts
- Dr Janine Muldoon (CAHRU Research Fellow)
- Professor Alistair Lawrence (Head of Animal Welfare, SAC)
- Dr Jo Williams (Lecturer, Moray House School of Education)
- Professor Candace Currie (CAHRU Director/HBSC International Coordinator)
Links
Take our online survey
Activities aimed at promoting animal welfare to children & young people
We are currently administering an on-line survey to organisations or individuals with a remit for educating children and/or young people about animals and promoting positive behaviour towards them. We are asking people to respond by 1st May 2009, when analysis will begin. A summary of the findings from this survey will be posted on this webpage in due course.
If we have not approached you directly, but you are happy to contribute, please access the survey by clicking on the link below.
The survey should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete and your responses will be treated confidentially. Please ensure you click on 'submit questionnaire' at the end and not 'exit and clear survey'.