Television companies must try and stop children from embarrassing themselves on air, amid fears that their parents may not always have their best interests at heart. Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, called for the crackdown after a flood of viewer complaints about the way children are treated on shows like Benefit Street or Jeremy Kyle, where they are openly mocked or shown in severe distress. In one instance, a 17-year-old guest on Jeremy Kyle was accused of having slept with 33 men, and told that her mother would disown her for stealing. Scroll down for video . In one instance a 17-year-old guest on Jeremy Kyle was accused of having slept with 33 men, and told that her mother would disown her for stealing . In another, children were ‘vilified’ on Benefits Street, the Channel 4 series which follows a street-full of families which live off state welfare. Viewers complained that the individuals sacrificed their ‘dignity’ for entertainment, even though their own parents did not complain about the treatment. In a new set of guidelines, which raise worrying questions about the lengths people will go to for fame, Ofcom has now told television producers to be wary about parents’ motives for allowing their children on air. Broadcasters should ‘form their own judgements’ about how much children should be allowed to do or say on camera, and not ‘rely solely on the assurances of parents or guardians, particularly where vested interests may be involved,’ it said. The warning comes amid growing concerns that parents allow their children to embarrass themselves on television in exchange for a fee, or because they are offered all-expenses paid hospitality, including restaurant meals and overnight stays in hotels. Other parents allow their offspring on air in the hope that they will become celebrities, a source said. Broadcasters should continue featuring children in their programmes, but they must take care that they are emotionally and mentally mature enough to cope with the public exposure, Ofcom said. ‘Children form strong views and feelings from a very early age and these deserve to be seen and heard in programmes. However, the ability of participants to weigh up the potential consequences of participation can vary widely. In another instance, children were ‘vilified’ on Benefits Street, the Channel 4 series which follows a street-full of families which live off state welfare. Pictured is James Turner Street where the show was set . ‘Children and young people differ in their vulnerabilities and resilience; their age, gender, physical and mental capacity, their maturity, their cultural, ethnic and religious background and their previous life experiences can all affect how they might respond to specific circumstances and nature of performance.’ Ofcom warned television companies to watch children’s body language, and made it explicit that they have a choice to opt out of appearing on television, in order to ensure that they are not being pushed into it by adults. And even if broadcasters do think they can deal with the public profile, children must be taught how to deal with potential bullying, including on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. There has been a huge increase in online bullying since Ofcom last updated its guidelines for protecting minors, six years ago, but the rise of this so-called ‘trolling’ now needs to be factored in at ‘an early stage’ of production, the regulator said. ‘Broadcasters should consider the impact of social media and the risk of bullying, including online bullying, on the child participant, and take appropriate steps to advise the young person and their parents [or] carers’. The crackdown follows a string of controversies about the way children are treated on air. In late 2013, ITV was found guilty of breaching broadcasting rules for airing an episode of Jeremy Kyle, where a guest called her 17-year-old sister a ‘silly anorexic slapper’, and alleged that she had slept with 33 men. The teenager was visibly distressed as she was attacked on air. She was also accused of stealing her mother’s camera, and told that she would never see her mother again if she failed a lie detector test protesting her innocence.
Ofcom calls for action after children openly mocked or shown in distress . In one instance, a 17-year-old guest on Jeremy Kyle was accused of sleeping with 33 men . Children were 'vilified' on the controversial Channel 4 series Benefits Street .