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| UK is accused of failing children | UK is accused of failing children |
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| The UK has been accused of failing its children, as it comes bottom of a league table for child well-being across 21 industrialised countries. | The UK has been accused of failing its children, as it comes bottom of a league table for child well-being across 21 industrialised countries. |
| The Unicef report looked at 40 indicators including poverty, peer and family relationships, and health. | The Unicef report looked at 40 indicators including poverty, peer and family relationships, and health. |
| One of the report's authors told the BBC that under-investment and a "dog eat dog" attitude in society were to blame for Britain's poor performance. | One of the report's authors told the BBC that under-investment and a "dog eat dog" attitude in society were to blame for Britain's poor performance. |
| The government says its policies have helped to improve child welfare. | The government says its policies have helped to improve child welfare. |
| Unicef - the United Nations children's organisation - says the report, titled Child Poverty in Perspective: An Overview of Child Well-being in Rich Countries, is the first study of childhood across the world's industrialised nations. | Unicef - the United Nations children's organisation - says the report, titled Child Poverty in Perspective: An Overview of Child Well-being in Rich Countries, is the first study of childhood across the world's industrialised nations. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Not enough parental time is spent in bringing up our children John Nicholls, Altrincham Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Not enough parental time is spent in bringing up our children John Nicholls, Altrincham Send us your comments |
| Unicef UK executive director David Bull said all the countries had weaknesses that needed to be addressed. | Unicef UK executive director David Bull said all the countries had weaknesses that needed to be addressed. |
| "By comparing the performance of countries we see what is possible with a commitment to supporting every child to fulfil his or her full potential," he said. | "By comparing the performance of countries we see what is possible with a commitment to supporting every child to fulfil his or her full potential," he said. |
| Most of the figures in the report come from 2000-2003, which the authors say was the most up to date information available. | Most of the figures in the report come from 2000-2003, which the authors say was the most up to date information available. |
| 'Dog eat dog society' | 'Dog eat dog society' |
| Professor Jonathan Bradshaw from York University, one of the report's authors, put the UK's poor ratings down to long term underinvestment. | Professor Jonathan Bradshaw from York University, one of the report's authors, put the UK's poor ratings down to long term underinvestment. |
| "It's very difficult to answer the why question. But if you're asking what is the main driver of these results, it's the fact that for a long time children in Britain have been under-invested in; not enough has been spent on them." | "It's very difficult to answer the why question. But if you're asking what is the main driver of these results, it's the fact that for a long time children in Britain have been under-invested in; not enough has been spent on them." |
| He said child poverty was twice as high as in 1979, while the government was "only just beginning" to put money into health and education. | He said child poverty was twice as high as in 1979, while the government was "only just beginning" to put money into health and education. |
| The Unicef study found Britain had the lowest proportion of children who found their friends kind and helpful - 40%, compared to 80% in Switzerland, he went on. | The Unicef study found Britain had the lowest proportion of children who found their friends kind and helpful - 40%, compared to 80% in Switzerland, he went on. |
| Professor Bradshaw said that this was an indication of a "dog eat dog society". | Professor Bradshaw said that this was an indication of a "dog eat dog society". |
| He added: "In a society which is very unequal, with high levels of poverty, it leads on to what children think about themselves and their lives. That's really what's at the heart of this." | He added: "In a society which is very unequal, with high levels of poverty, it leads on to what children think about themselves and their lives. That's really what's at the heart of this." |
| We simply cannot ignore these shocking findings Bob ReitemeierChildren's Society class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6359887.stm">Reaction in quotes | |
| The UK was in the bottom third for five out of the six categories. It was placed in the middle third of the table for health and safety. | The UK was in the bottom third for five out of the six categories. It was placed in the middle third of the table for health and safety. |
| A spokesman for the UK government said its initiatives in areas such as poverty, pregnancy rates, teenage smoking, drinking and risky sexual behaviour had helped improve children's welfare. | A spokesman for the UK government said its initiatives in areas such as poverty, pregnancy rates, teenage smoking, drinking and risky sexual behaviour had helped improve children's welfare. |
| Welfare Reform Minister Jim Murphy said the Unicef study was an "historic" report, which used some data which was now out of date. | Welfare Reform Minister Jim Murphy said the Unicef study was an "historic" report, which used some data which was now out of date. |
| "It looks at some information and analysis from perhaps six, seven, eight years ago," he told the BBC's Newsnight. "Some of the information really is out of date in that sense. | "It looks at some information and analysis from perhaps six, seven, eight years ago," he told the BBC's Newsnight. "Some of the information really is out of date in that sense. |
| "If you look at the teenage pregnancies issue, for example, we're now 20 years low on teenage pregnancy levels, and on homelessness as well there's been real progress there as well - a 25-year low in terms of new homelessness, so there's an awful lot we have achieved." | "If you look at the teenage pregnancies issue, for example, we're now 20 years low on teenage pregnancy levels, and on homelessness as well there's been real progress there as well - a 25-year low in terms of new homelessness, so there's an awful lot we have achieved." |
| CHILD WELL-BEING TABLE 1. Netherlands2. Sweden3. Denmark4. Finland5. Spain6. Switzerland7. Norway8. Italy9. Republic of Ireland10. Belgium11. Germany12. Canada13. Greece14. Poland15. Czech Republic16. France17. Portugal18. Austria19. Hungary20. United States21. United Kingdom Source: Unicef Key points at-a-glance | CHILD WELL-BEING TABLE 1. Netherlands2. Sweden3. Denmark4. Finland5. Spain6. Switzerland7. Norway8. Italy9. Republic of Ireland10. Belgium11. Germany12. Canada13. Greece14. Poland15. Czech Republic16. France17. Portugal18. Austria19. Hungary20. United States21. United Kingdom Source: Unicef Key points at-a-glance |
| But he acknowledged the Unicef report was important. "Hopefully it leads to a wider conversation about what more we can do to eradicate poverty," he said. | But he acknowledged the Unicef report was important. "Hopefully it leads to a wider conversation about what more we can do to eradicate poverty," he said. |
| The Children's Society has launched a website to coincide with the report, www.mylife.uk.com, which allows children to answer a series of surveys about their lives. | The Children's Society has launched a website to coincide with the report, www.mylife.uk.com, which allows children to answer a series of surveys about their lives. |
| The society's chief executive Bob Reitemeier said: "We simply cannot ignore these shocking findings. | The society's chief executive Bob Reitemeier said: "We simply cannot ignore these shocking findings. |
| "Unicef's report is a wake-up call to the fact that, despite being a rich country, the UK is failing children and young people in a number of crucial ways." | "Unicef's report is a wake-up call to the fact that, despite being a rich country, the UK is failing children and young people in a number of crucial ways." |
| The Children's Commissioner for England, Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green, said the report's findings should be a wake-up call to politicians and society as a whole. | |
| "We are turning out a generation of young people who are unhappy, unhealthy, engaging in risky behaviour, who have poor relationships with their family and their peers, who have low expectations and don't feel safe." | |
| He said parents, teachers, politicians and society as a whole all had a role to play in nurturing children and helping them to develop into successful adults. | |
| REPORT CATEGORIES Material well-beingFamily and peer relationshipsHealth and safetyBehaviour and risksOwn sense of well-being [educational]Own sense of well-being [subjective] | REPORT CATEGORIES Material well-beingFamily and peer relationshipsHealth and safetyBehaviour and risksOwn sense of well-being [educational]Own sense of well-being [subjective] |
| Unicef report in full (1.5MB) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the reader here | Unicef report in full (1.5MB) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the reader here |
| Colette Marshall, UK director of Save the Children, said it was "shameful" to see the UK at the bottom of the table. | |
| "This report shows clearly that despite the UK's wealth, we are failing to give children the best possible start in life," she said. | "This report shows clearly that despite the UK's wealth, we are failing to give children the best possible start in life," she said. |
| "The UK government is not investing enough in the well-being of children, especially to combat poverty and deprivation." | "The UK government is not investing enough in the well-being of children, especially to combat poverty and deprivation." |
| Shadow Chancellor George Osborne accused Chancellor Gordon Brown of having "failed this generation of children". | Shadow Chancellor George Osborne accused Chancellor Gordon Brown of having "failed this generation of children". |
| "After 10 years of his welfare and education policies, our children today have the lowest well-being in the developed world," said Mr Osborne. | "After 10 years of his welfare and education policies, our children today have the lowest well-being in the developed world," said Mr Osborne. |
| UK REPORT FINDINGS UK child poverty has doubled since 1979Children living in homes earning less than half national average wage - 16%Children rating their peers as "kind and helpful" - 43%Families eating a meal together "several times" a week - 66%Children who admit being drunk on two or more occasions - 31% | UK REPORT FINDINGS UK child poverty has doubled since 1979Children living in homes earning less than half national average wage - 16%Children rating their peers as "kind and helpful" - 43%Families eating a meal together "several times" a week - 66%Children who admit being drunk on two or more occasions - 31% |
| He also said government could encourage parents to have greater involvement with their children through "a framework of more flexible working". | He also said government could encourage parents to have greater involvement with their children through "a framework of more flexible working". |
| But he added: "I don't actually think government has the answer to all these problems." | |
| A spokeswoman for the government said it regarded the improvement of the life of British children as a matter of particular importance. | A spokeswoman for the government said it regarded the improvement of the life of British children as a matter of particular importance. |
| "Nobody can dispute that improving children's well-being is a real priority for this government," she said. | "Nobody can dispute that improving children's well-being is a real priority for this government," she said. |