When Mary-Anne Edwards, 41, was growing up in Kew, West London, she enjoyed “an incredible amount of freedom”, allowed to go to and from primary school alone and visit relatives before she was ten.

However, when it came to her own three sons, fears about their safety, and the “disrespect” shown to boys approaching their teens, was a key factor in the family deciding to move from London to Dorset.

“I eventually let Isaac, my eldest son, walk to school with a friend when he was ten. I was following with his brothers, but even so, many parents said they would not let their children walk by themselves. I was reluctant to allow him more than that, although in the end I let him go to the local leisure centre with friends,” she said.

Ms Edwards said that she and her husband, Bill Verkaik, were not particularly worried about abduction, but more about muggers. However, she said that she was dismayed at the reaction of other adults towards Isaac and his friends.

“When people saw a group of young boys, all wearing hoodies because that is what they all wear, they think they are aggressors. I didn’t like the lack of respect he was shown by shopkeepers. And parents really don’t like boys of 10 or 11 going to playgrounds. I didn’t want my son branded an aggressor.”

In Dorchester, where the family now lives, Isaac, now 11, goes to school on his own and has the freedom to go to shops and local parks. He also skateboards in a park, which Ms Edwards says feels much safer than in London. “The freedom we have given him is the single biggest thing Isaac has enjoyed most about moving here. It has really boosted his confidence. He seeks out things he can do independently, and we feel happier about letting him out on his own,” she said.

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