title: Worries, 'weirdos', neighborhoods and knowing people: a qualitative study with children and parents regarding children's independent mobility.
abstract: This qualitative study involved focus groups with 132 children and 12 parents in primary and secondary schools in metropolitan and regional areas of Victoria, Australia, to explore experiences and perceptions of children's independent mobility. The study highlights the impact of family routines, neighborhood characteristics, social norms and reference points for decision making. Children reported a wider range of safety concerns than parents, including harm from strangers or traffic, bullying, or getting lost. Children expressed great delight in being independent, often seeking to actively influence parents' decision making. Children's independent mobility is a developmental process, requiring graduated steps and skill building.
authors.affiliation: Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Level 3, 215 Franklin Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia; Parenting Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: s.crawford@latrobe.edu.au.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.affiliation: Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Level 3, 215 Franklin Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia; Parenting Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia; Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: s.bennetts@latrobe.edu.au.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Bennetts
authors.affiliation: Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Level 3, 215 Franklin Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia; Parenting Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia; Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: n.hackworth@latrobe.edu.au.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Hackworth
authors.affiliation: Parenting Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia; Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: jgreen@parentingrc.org.au.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: Parenting Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia; Dental Health Services Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: helen.graesser@dhsv.org.au.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Graesser
authors.affiliation: Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Level 3, 215 Franklin Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia; Parenting Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: a.cooklin@latrobe.edu.au.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Cooklin
authors.affiliation: Parenting Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: jmatthews@parentingrc.org.au.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.affiliation: Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. Electronic address: lyndall.strazdins@anu.edu.au.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Strazdins
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia, West Perth, Australia. Electronic address: stephen.zubrick@telethonkids.org.au.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Zubrick
authors.affiliation: Parenting Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia; Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: fabrizio.desposito@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Esposito
authors.affiliation: Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Level 3, 215 Franklin Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia; Parenting Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: j.nicholson@latrobe.edu.au.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nicholson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012449:Safety; D066262:Social Norms; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014739:Victoria
keywords: Children; Independent mobility; Parents; Physical activity; Qualitative methods