England rugby legend Lawrence Dallaglio has called on the Labour government to address what he describes as a crisis facing young boys in Britain.
Speaking on GB News, Dallaglio highlighted findings from a Centre for Social Justice report that reveals alarming disparities between boys and girls.
The former England captain warned that without intervention, more young boys will end up in the prison system.
“We spend our lives tiptoeing around other sections of society when really the area we really need to focus on is young boys,” Dallaglio said.
Lawrence Dallaglio fears a generation of boys will end up turning to a life of crime
GB NEWS / GETTY
The CSJ report reveals a growing gap between boys and their female counterparts in education and employment.
Since the pandemic, 40 per cent of young boys between 14 and 18 find themselves outside of employment and education compared to just seven per cent of girls.
MORE ON BRITAIN’S BOY CRISIS
“Boys are behind girls. We know that,” Dallaglio explained.
“What’s really worrying is the gap that has grown between boys and their girl counterparts.”
The rugby icon noted that boys are in crisis from primary school until they leave education.
Dallaglio expressed deep concern about family structures, noting that boys are “25 per cent more likely to have a mobile phone than they are to live with their father.”
Shocking new stats have laid bare the issue
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The exclusion rate of young people from mainstream education is particularly alarming.
“230 young people between the age of 14 and 17 are excluded every single week,” Dallaglio revealed.
Even more concerning is that 65 per cent of those excluded eventually find themselves in the prison system.
“No young boy is born bad, they are just born into chaotic circumstances,” he added.
Dallaglio highlighted his work with Rugby Works, a programme helping young people excluded from mainstream education.
The initiative operates in pupil referral units across the country, starting with rugby before transitioning participants into education and full-time employment.
“We have an 87 per cent success rate,” Dallaglio said proudly.
The former England captain believes a coordinated political response is essential to address these issues.
Dallaglio joined Martin Daubney on GB News
GB NEWS
“This government needs to create a cross-party group that deals with this,” he urged.
Dallaglio expressed hope that the government will act on the CSJ findings, which he says have worsened over the past decade.
“This report was telling us this 10 years ago and unfortunately then, the government didn’t do anything about it,” he said.
“What we found with this report is the same problems exist, they’re just much bigger.”
The World Cup winner expects the Labour government to develop solutions by summer to address what he describes as a deepening crisis.
“What this report does is highlight the problems and give this government plenty to think about,” he concluded.
