UK’s children are some of the unhappiest in Europe
-13/09/06
By Mark Porthouse
In th
UK’s children are some of the unhappiest in Europe
-13/09/06
By Mark Porthouse
In the wake of a new study led by Johnathan Bradshaw at the University of York, and published in the Journal for Social Indicators Research earlier this month, both UNICEF and The Children’s Society (supported by the Archbishop of Canterbury) are undertaking new childhood studies.
The York survey shows that children in the UK are some of the unhappiest in Europe. They are only happier than those in four of the twenty five EU countries.
Amongst the litany of poor results, the UK is rated as one of the worst countries for child health, beaten by all of the old Eastern Bloc EU countries. Young people in their upper teens have the second lowest measure of combined career aspirations (amongst those studying) and employment (amongst those not studying).
Whilst UK children live in homes with by far the largest number of rooms per person, this material wealth isn’t translated into general well-being or a responsible attitude to the future. The study shows that the country ranks at the bottom for family structures that are beneficial for the development of children. The UK’s children do not tend to eat, or even talk very much with their parents. Not only that, but their friends are relatively unkind and unsupportive. Children from the UK also have the riskiest patterns of behaviour including sexual behaviour and drug use.
Professor John Bradshaw, of the Child Development and Well-Being research centre at The University of York, cast a positive light on the increased Government spending in areas related to the research, and he is hopeful that the UK’s history of child poverty could be successfully tackled.
The report follows news earlier this year that the Government was missing its targets for alleviating child poverty.
Last year, in an address at Queen Mary College, London, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, showed concern for the UK’s young people by putting forward a challenge to society to take a broader responsibility for the young people growing up within our communities. Dr Williams also made the point ìthe ëwelfare to workí nostrum isn’t enough. It has served importantly as a corrective to a passive attitude, but, insofar as it presumes that economic productivity is where we all ought to end up, irrespective of our nurturing and forming responsibilities in society, it isnít enoughî.
UK’s children are some of the unhappiest in Europe
-13/09/06
By Mark Porthouse
In the wake of a new study led by Johnathan Bradshaw at the University of York, and published in the Journal for Social Indicators Research earlier this month, both UNICEF and The Children’s Society (supported by the Archbishop of Canterbury) are undertaking new childhood studies.
The York survey shows that children in the UK are some of the unhappiest in Europe. They are only happier than those in four of the twenty five EU countries.
Amongst the litany of poor results, the UK is rated as one of the worst countries for child health, beaten by all of the old Eastern Bloc EU countries. Young people in their upper teens have the second lowest measure of combined career aspirations (amongst those studying) and employment (amongst those not studying).
Whilst UK children live in homes with by far the largest number of rooms per person, this material wealth isn’t translated into general well-being or a responsible attitude to the future. The study shows that the country ranks at the bottom for family structures that are beneficial for the development of children. The UK’s children do not tend to eat, or even talk very much with their parents. Not only that, but their friends are relatively unkind and unsupportive. Children from the UK also have the riskiest patterns of behaviour including sexual behaviour and drug use.
Professor John Bradshaw, of the Child Development and Well-Being research centre at The University of York, cast a positive light on the increased Government spending in areas related to the research, and he is hopeful that the UK’s history of child poverty could be successfully tackled.
The report follows news earlier this year that the Government was missing its targets for alleviating child poverty.
Last year, in an address at Queen Mary College, London, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, showed concern for the UK’s young people by putting forward a challenge to society to take a broader responsibility for the young people growing up within our communities. Dr Williams also made the point ìthe ëwelfare to workí nostrum isn’t enough. It has served importantly as a corrective to a passive attitude, but, insofar as it presumes that economic productivity is where we all ought to end up, irrespective of our nurturing and forming responsibilities in society, it isnít enoughî.