UK lags behind most of Europe in child wellbeing league

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UK lags behind most of Europe in child wellbeing league
Unemployed families, poor environments and the low numbers in education are blamed for the UK's ranking of 24th out of 29 European countries

A European league table of young people's wellbeing places the UK 24th out of 29 countries, it was revealed today.

High numbers of children and young people in workless families and poor local environments, and the low numbers in education or training, are blamed for the UK's placing – well behind Germany in eighth place and France in 15th.

The continent's best-off children, according to the research by a York University team for the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), are in the Netherlands and Scandinavia. Only Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Malta fared worse than the UK, according to the research, which was based on data from 2006.

The CPAG today renewed calls for a £3bn investment to end child poverty, and said the UK government was using the right kinds of policy but had failed to back them with sufficient resources.

"The recent emphasis on the material circumstances of children, on education and health inequalities, and on early intervention, has been right and must continue over the long term.

"It is the dose which has been inadequate, not the medicine," it said.

CPAG is one of 150 organisations which have joined forces to call on the chancellor, Alistair Darling, to announce a £3bn-plus boost to benefits and tax credits for low-income families in tomorrow's budget.

The CPAG chief executive, Kate Green, said: "The last time a child wellbeing league table was published, British people were shocked the UK came last.

"This time we need a frank focus on why other countries are doing so much better for their children. Public resolve and political action to put children first are more important than another round of hand-wringing.

"Government action like Sure Start, child tax credit and the children's plan will already be making a difference, but more is needed.

"All political parties must pledge to direct more of our national resources towards making children's lives better. We need to rethink the place of children in today's Britain and ensure the right to a good childhood is central to our national culture.

"We cannot afford a 'do nothing' budget for children. The report shows a clear link between high levels of child wellbeing and low levels of child poverty.

"If we fail to protect families during the downturn, progress on child wellbeing could go into reverse. The chancellor must take the final steps needed to keep the promise to halve child poverty by 2010."

Among other factors which resulted in a low score for the UK were poor immunisation rates, children more likely to report poor or fair health, and a relatively poor ability to communicate with parents.

The children's minister, Beverley Hughes, said the government had made "wide-ranging improvements" since the data was collected.

"The fact that we created a new government department to focus solely on children, schools and families shows the increased importance being given to children in this country," she said.

"Our children's plan is our long-term vision and it puts children and families at the centre of everything government does."

Investment in children's centres, free early years education for three- and four-year-olds, play areas, support for disabled children and "world-class places for young people to spend their free time" had "continually raised levels of attainment and the quality of life for children across the country", she said.

The list in full

1 Netherlands
2 Sweden
3 Norway
4 Iceland
5 Finland
6 Denmark
7 Slovenia
8 Germany
9 Ireland
10 Luxembourg
11 Austria
12 Cyprus
13 Spain
14 Belgium
15 France
16 Czech Republic
17 Slovakia
18 Estonia
19 Italy
20 Poland
21 Portugal
22 Hungary
23 Greece
24 United Kingdom
25 Romania
26 Bulgaria
27 Latvia
28 Lithuania
29 Malta

from http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/apr/21/children-poverty-wellbeing-cpag-europe