David Beckham and Cheryl Cole 'best children's role models'

Role models: Cheryl Cole and David Beckham
Ben Bailey12 April 2012

Footballers and pop stars are the best role models for children, according to a new poll today, which found most adults believe youngsters have no one to look up to.

Almost two-thirds of adults believe school-age children do not have appropriate role models in their lives, according to research by The Children's Society.

David Beckham was rated as setting the best example for children - more than half (55%) of those questioned said he was a good, or very good, role model, compared to 18% who said he sets a bad example.

Singer Cheryl Cole came second, with 40% rating her positively, compared to 27% who said she was a bad role model.

Cartoon character Homer Simpson was voted the worst role model.

The National Mentoring Initiative poll, which questioned over 2,000 people found children are less likely to look up to adults than in the past.

While more than a quarter of those questioned (28%) said they looked up to their father when they were young, around one in seven (14%) said they thought that children today look up to their fathers.

Some 32% of adults said they used to consider their mother a role model, 30% believe that children today now see their mother in the same way.

Just 5% of adults said they think children look up to their grandparents.

The poll also reveals that when it comes to politicians, David Cameron is seen as setting the best example, with a third (34%) rating him as a positive role model.

A fifth saw Gordon Brown as a positive role model, while 16% said the same about Nick Clegg.

Rashid Iqbal, director of The Children's Society's National Mentoring Initiative, said: "This poll reflects our concerns that many children are living without positive role models.

"If children are not looking up to adults this is not the children's fault.

"Both parents and society at large have a responsibility to enact a change of heart in our society and actually live by the values that they espouse and be strong and positive role models, providing continuity and support to a child or young person's life.

"At the moment this seems more aspiration than reality. Adults have a collective responsibility to make childhood better for all children."

:: The poll questioned 2,006 people between March 20-24.

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