Childhood is good, says government

Most children in England and Wales are happy, and live in stable family environments says the government.

Launching a report summarising recent research about children and families, children’s secretary Ed Balls rejected theories that today’s children are worse off than previous generations, and that Britain is a bad place for children to grow up.

The government also published the results of its own large-scale survey of children’s lives. The consultation, “Time to Talk”, collected the views of children, parents and professionals working with children. It found that two out of five children are worried about their personal safety, and one in five worries about their education, and about bullying.

"The vast majority of children and young people feel happy, safe, and are doing well at school," said Ed Balls, Secretary for children, schools and families.
"But we also know that there are some serious challenges to address. Our report shows that our children are well-educated, but that we are still not world class and that children from disadvantaged backgrounds continue to underachieve."
The research will form the basis of the government strategy for the next decade – the Children's Plan – published next month.