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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.
Unicef looked at 40 indicators from the years 2000-2003 including poverty, peer and family relationships, and health. Unicef looked at 40 indicators from the years 2000-2003 including poverty, 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" 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 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 CHILDREN'S VIEWS Parents should spend more time with their kids Megan, 9, Aberdeen class="" href="/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6360000/newsid_6360000/6360059.stm">What children say would make their life better Send us your comments
In its league table the Netherlands came top, followed by Sweden, Denmark and Finland.
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.
The authors say they used the most up to date information available to assess "whether children feel loved, cherished, special and supported, within the family and community, and whether the family and community are being supported in this task by public policy and resources". 'Dog-eat-dog society'
The authors say they used the most up-to-date information to assess "whether children feel loved, cherished, special and supported, within the family and community, and whether the family and community are being supported in this task by public policy and resources".
But they added: "The process of international comparison can never be freed from questions of translation, culture, and custom."But they added: "The process of international comparison can never be freed from questions of translation, culture, and custom."
OECD countries with insufficient data to be included in the overview included Australia, Iceland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Turkey.
'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.
"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 rates were falling but were 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.
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."
We simply cannot ignore these shocking findings Bob ReitemeierChildren's Society Reaction in quotesWe simply cannot ignore these shocking findings Bob ReitemeierChildren's Society 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. Professor Jonathan Bradshaw, from York University, one of the report's authors, put the UK's poor ratings down to long term under-investment and a "dog-eat-dog" society.
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. "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 said.
Welfare Reform Minister Jim Murphy said the Unicef study was an "historic" report, which used some data which was now out of date. 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.
"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. Welfare reform minister Jim Murphy said the Unicef study was important, although it used some data which was now out of date.
"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-glanceCHILD 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
He did acknowledged the Unicef report was important.
"Hopefully it leads to a wider conversation about what more we can do to eradicate poverty," he said."Hopefully it leads to a wider conversation about what more we can do to eradicate poverty," he said.
Unicef's league table drew on sources including the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the World Health Organization's survey of Health Behaviour in School-age Children (HBSC) aged 11, 13 and 15.Unicef's league table drew on sources including the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the World Health Organization's survey of Health Behaviour in School-age Children (HBSC) aged 11, 13 and 15.
However, the information attributed to the UK in the HBSC survey is only taken from responses of residents of England. For the UK, the HBSC survey is taken from responses of residents of England only. Unicef also said some PISA indicators for the UK should be treated with caution because of low sample response rates.
Unicef also said some PISA indicators for the UK should be treated with caution due to low sample response rates. The Children's Society launched a website to coincide with the report, www.mylife.uk.com, which allows children to answer a series of surveys about their lives.
Website survey Chief executive Bob Reitemeier said: "We simply cannot ignore these shocking findings.
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.
"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 hereUnicef 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'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: "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."
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%
Colette Marshall, UK director of Save the Children, said it was "shameful" to see the UK at the bottom of the table.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.
"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," he said.
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".
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.
"Nobody can dispute that improving children's well-being is a real priority for this government," she said.