UK kids among Europe's unhappiest

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BASEL
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UK kids among Europe's unhappiest

Post by BASEL » Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:39 pm

British children are among the unhappiest in Europe, according to a new wellbeing study. Skip related content
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UK kids among Europe's unhappiest

High numbers of youngsters in workless families and poor local environments coupled with low numbers in education or training left the UK trailing 24th out of 29 nations. Only Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Malta fared worse.

It was well below the performance of countries such as Germany (8th) and France (15th) and a very long way behind the continent's best-off children, the Dutch and Scandinavians.

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.

Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said the Government had made "wide-ranging improvements" since the time 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."

She said 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".

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) said the 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 of early intervention has been right and must continue over the long term," it said.

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

CPAG is one of 150 organisations which have joined forces to call on Chancellor Alistair Darling to announce a £3 billion-plus boost to benefits and tax credits for low income families in his Budget.


Whats that all about????????????
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