As Gareth Southgate considers a generation of lost boys here are some reflections for Christian parents

In recent weeks, the success of the Netflix drama Adolescence, with its visceral depiction of a teenage boy’s crime and its effects on his family, has led to widespread conversation on boys and masculinity. Sara Taylor has already helpfully explored ways in which this might inform parents in their relationship with kids. 

To fill out the picture further, research on the challenges facing boys and young men is found in the Lost Boys: State of the Nation report released earlier this month by the Centre for Social Justice. The report highlights how boys are falling behind in a number of areas, including in education, employment, and health. Also, in his recent Dimbleby lecture, former English football manager Sir Gareth Southgate noted the significance of the report in sketching out some of the challenges boys and young men face.  

As a dad of two teenage boys, the Lost Boys report is sobering reading. What can I do as a Christian dad to help shape my boys in a way that helps them to flourish, in life as well as in faith? And how can I influence the lives of other boys outside my home in the wake of the challenges they face?  

While I don’t pretend to have all the solutions to this, four areas come to mind as I reflect on the report’s findings.