What's Respect about?

The Respect drive is a cross-Government strategy to tackle bad behaviour and nurture good - and so help create the modern culture of respect.

It is about central government, local agencies, local communities and ultimately every citizen working together to build a society in which we can respect one another – where anti-social behaviour is rare and tackled effectively, and communities can live in peace together.

It’s not about going back to the past or returning to the days of ‘knowing your place’.

* It’s about nurturing and, where needed, enforcing a modern culture of respect, which the majority of people want.

* It’s about showing tolerance, acceptance and common decency towards the people around us – our family, friends and peers, people who are older or younger than us, people from different walks of life or who follow different cultures or religions.

* It’s about being considerate of the consequences of our behaviour for others.

For most of us this is automatic and ingrained in the habits of our everyday lives. But when respect for self, others and the community breaks down, anti-social behaviour takes hold.

Making offensive and threatening remarks, dumping litter and urinating in the street is clearly inconsiderate or disrespectful by any definition. Respect or the lack of it does more than affect us as individuals.

Understanding and adopting a code of behaviour is what makes society work as a whole and is why the government is so committed to working with the public to promote a new culture of respect. Broader, deeper, further The Respect drive, as laid out in the Respect Action Plan, builds on what has already been achieved in combating anti-social behaviour and goes broader, further and deeper to tackle the causes of anti-social behaviour and prevent the next generation becoming involved.

It recognises the importance of early intervention in families, homes and schools to prevent children and young people who are showing signs of problems from getting any worse.

There is also a contained emphasis on enforcement and action. The police, local authorities and other agencies will be encouraged to use the full range tools and powers to deal with anti-social behaviour.

Communities will also be encouraged to speak out and demand a co-ordinated response to problems they are facing. Key measures of the Respect drive include:

* A new approach to tackling problem families through intensive family intervention programmes.

* A wide-ranging programme to address poor parenting. Additional investment will be available to fund parenting programmes across the country.

* Strengthening communities through more responsive public services. Local services will be encouraged to hold regular face the people sessions.

* Improving behaviour and attendance in schools. Targeted action on persistent truants and a range of new measures to tackle poor behaviour in schools.

* The funding of constructive activities for young people such as youth intervention projects and sports programmes Go to the respct website for more information:- http://www.respect.gov.uk/default.aspx