A nation of bad parents

Drinking, promiscuity and a cycle of low aspiration mean Britain is becoming the 'bad parent' of the western world. A vast study of youngsters' well-being in 30 industrialised nations ranked Britain among the worst for health, lifestyles and school standards relative to public spending levels. Underage teenagers in Britain are more likely to get drunk than those in any other country, and the proportions of teenage mothers and single-parent families are among the highest in the survey. In 'risky behaviour' - a combination of drinking, smoking and teenage pregnancy - Britain's performance is worse than all nations other than Turkey and Mexico. Daily Mail