GRUFFALO writer Julia Donaldson has called parents to allow their children to be more independent, saying we are raising a generations of "cotton wool" kids.

 

The former children's laureate voiced concern that children were being cosseted, driven to school too much, and that risk from child abusers was "exaggerated".

She urged parents not to panic or deny children their independence by preventing them walking to school.

She said: "I do think that children are quite cosseted. I can understand it in a way because of so much traffic, which is dangerous, but ... people do drive their children to school too much.

"I just remember that walk to and from school was so important -- that was when you got your first taste of independence. It is a mini-adventure. You might walk along a wall or fall off, or play dares.

She added: "I don't think the number of paedophiles has increased -- I'm sure it is completely the same -- but there is so much in the press about it that people are totally neurotic about that and I think it's a bit exaggerated. But I think the danger of the road is obviously a concern."

Her comments come after figures released last week showed that almost one in every 35 men could pose a sexual risk to children.

The research by the National Crime Agency found that as many as three per cent of men could be a potential sex abuser or have an interest in online child porn.