The problem is indeed a real one Carol although probably not 'endemic'

The UK, a generation ago, went through a socio-political period often referred to as the 'me generation' in which it was advocated 'there was no such thing as society' 'There are individual men and women, and there are families' which was generally interpreted as people should look to their own interests and those of their family
first

Others have described other characteristics including -

'Generation It's-Not-My-Fault – This starts early when GenMe kids discover how often their shortcomings in school are blamed on their teachers.'

Some very real examples of this were provided by Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers
She cites one mother who blamed staff when her 14-year-old daughter became pregnant and another when she discovered that her 16-year-old son Jack was smoking cannabis
'Their distress causes them to hit out. Jack has been led astray by his school friends.
More should have been done to educate him about the dangers of drug abuse.
They threaten to go to the local press to tell their story.'

Teachers are becoming increasingly concerned that they are being held responsible for aspects of children and young people's lives which are completely beyond their control she said.

"One of the key reasons for the standstill, the inspectors concluded, is that children are coming to school with poor skills in speaking and listening. The inspectors exhort schools to do more to improve their pupils' oral skills, but do not question why it is that pupils are starting school unable to converse and to listen effectively.

Just what is happening in the homes of these children? Why are they coming to school developmentally delayed?
Children learn how to take turns in a conversation, how to ask questions, how to react to what others say, how to follow instructions, how to tell jokes through doing all these things.
They will not learn how to behave as social beings if they are stuck in front of the TV for hours every day. They need their parents to show an interest in them and to spend time with them, helping them to play with their peers and to learn the rules of social behaviour.

Too many children start school without the social and verbal skills to be able to take part in lessons and to behave well.

Too many are starting school unable to hold a knife and fork, unused to eating at a table, unable to use the lavatory properly.

These children will not be living in absolute poverty.
The majority will be living in homes with televisions, computers and PlayStations.
What too many of them do not have are adults who are prepared to give their time and energy doing that difficult, but most essential of jobs: raising their children properly.

I've been accused of wanting to ban television in children's bedrooms, when for many parents a television in every room is the marker that they have made it and that they have provided well for their children. It comes to something, I think, when the mark of good parenting is the provision of a television which, in too many cases, becomes a substitute for parenting - a constant pacifier which suppresses interaction in the family.

We are in danger of becoming a nation of families living separate lives under one roof. The bedroom, once a place to sleep, has become the living space for the young. Spending hours in front of computer screens, on social networking sites or immersed in computer games, children and young people spend little time with their parents and their siblings.
Parents are unable to monitor just what their children are watching. Teachers report that many pupils are exhausted at the start of the school day, tired out from viewing unsuitable programmes or sitting in front of the computer screen until late into the night or the early hours of the morning."

I have certainly seen this example of 'family life' and worse in the homes of aquaintances and could just as easily quote appalling examples of parenting as Lizzie quotes an example of a primary school failing in its duty to organize private transport for their school leavers.

(e.g. a parent ringing a school in front of a child to claim he was sick because she couldn't get him out of bed after being up all night watching videos in his locked bedroom where he demanded his meals to be served)

Parents and teachers need to work together.
Parents are responsible for setting boundaries for their children's behaviour and sticking to those boundaries when the going gets tough.