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	Frances Fitzgerald recently invited Irish fashion retailers to prepare a set of guidelines aimed at addressing &ldquo;increasing concerns over the sexualisation of childhood and issues such as body-image&rdquo;.</p>
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	The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has welcomed the &ldquo;very determined interest and initiative&rdquo; shown by retailers which have taken steps to adopt a new code regarding children&rsquo;s clothing.</p>
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	Frances Fitzgerald recently invited Irish fashion retailers to prepare a set of guidelines aimed at addressing &ldquo;increasing concerns over the sexualisation of childhood and issues such as body-image&rdquo;.</p>
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	The Minister told TheJournal.ie that the industry-led guidelines include a number of key points:</p>
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	Slogans and imagery must be age appropriate and not sexually suggestive, demeaning or derogative;</p>
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	The choice of fabrics and cut in childrenswear should provide for modesty;</p>
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	Great care should be shown when it comes to the design of children&rsquo;s underwear, to differentiate it from adult lingerie;<br />
	Swimwear should provide for modesty, and should be age appropriate;</p>
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	Footwear for everyday use should provide a stable, supporting shoe with a heel pitch (angle of foot) of generally not more than 2.5 cm or one inch;</p>
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	The marketing of childrenswear should be targeted at adult purchasers, not children;</p>
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	The use of child models is only appropriate within defined parameters.</p>
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	The guidelines have been taken up by Retail Ireland and its member stores, with signatories including Arnotts, Brown Thomas, Clerys, Debenhams, House of Fraser, Marks &amp; Spencers, Next, Pennys, Tesco and TK Maxx.</p>
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	While Dunnes Stores is not a signatory, it has responded directly to Minister</p>
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	Fitzgerald indicating that it is &ldquo;in compliance with best practice&rdquo;.</p>
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	Today, the Minister repeated her call for all Irish childrenswear retailers, not just those in Retail Ireland membership, to sign-up to the guidelines.</p>
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	&ldquo;Irish childhood has changed and continues to change. We all have a responsibility to make sure that those changes are positive for our children,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I believe this code will play an important and constructive role in informing future decision-making by retailers, for example on the appropriateness of new and emerging fashion trends for children while further providing a framework within which retailers can responsibly consider and respond to growing concerns over body-image among children.&rdquo;</p>
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	http://www.thejournal.ie/childrens-clothing-and-sexualisation-1243873-Dec2013/</p>
