Met Office and NHS England find parents are too relaxed about exposing their children to sun, and warn over UV rays

Almost four out of 10 parents mistakenly believe that a sun tan is a sign of good health, research suggests.

A new poll for the Met Office and NHS England found evidence of apparently relaxed attitude to children’s sun exposure.

The poll of 1,001 parents of children up to the age of 16 found 34% think a sun tan helps build resistance to the sun while 37% think a sun tan is a sign of good health. About 70% said they thought it was normal to get a tan in summer, but 56% said they knew that suntans were a symptom of sun damage and were best avoided.

One in 20 parents said they had allowed their children to use sunbeds, while 7% had encouraged their child to use a lower factor suncream to get a tan. One in 10 parents also suggested their child takes their top off to avoid tan lines.

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Meanwhile, 17% of parents with children under the age of 11 said their offspring had experienced painful sunburn four or more times in the past two years. About 4% of parents said their child had been sunburned so severely they had to be admitted to hospital.

Clare Nasir, a Met Office meteorologist, said: “Protecting against skin cancer isn’t something parents should leave to chance. UV levels are usually highest between May and September. Clouds don’t always stop UV rays and, unlike the sun’s warmth, it’s difficult to know when they may be harming you.

Nigel Acheson, NHS England South region medical director, said: “It’s important that parents take extra care to protect their babies and children. Their skin is much more sensitive than adult skin, and damage caused by repeated exposure to UV could lead to skin cancer developing in later life.

“If the Met Office UV forecast is moderate or high, children aged under six months should spend time in the shade and out of direct sunlight – particularly from 11am to 3pm. We should all remember to cover up with suitable clothing and wear sunscreen with a good UVA protection.”