Loving relationships vital to children’s wellbeing, young people say
Fiona Simpson
Friday, October 2, 2020
Feeling loved and supported by friends and family is a top priority for children’s health and wellbeing, a survey of young people has found.
New research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) used a number of indicators including relationships, education and safety to measure the well-being of children aged 10 to 15 across the UK.
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“Feeling loved and having positive, supportive relationships, particularly with friends and family, including having someone to talk to and rely on were consistently stated as a top priority for children to have a happy life,” a report by the ONS states.
It also lists “feeling safe” as a key element in children’s happiness, including “safe places to hang out and meet with friends and a sense of safety at home, in their neighbourhoods, at school and online”.
However, participants felt that their local areas “lacked safe places and activities for children”, the report adds.
Researchers also found that children said being able to express themselves without being judged by others was crucial to their mental health and well-being.
One child said: "Some 12-year-olds will be getting judged and that will make them change into someone they don't want to be when they're older.”
When discussing school, young people listed the physical buildings, environment and culture of the school, teachers and other staff, learning content and opportunities for extra-curricular activities as important elements which affected their wellbeing.
Children also “acknowledged the importance of family finances in meeting basic needs and fostering a sense of social inclusion, while stress around family finances could impact the mental health of everyone in the household”, the report states, however, money was not equated with happiness.
One respondent told researchers: "Finance is really stressful, and it can stress the family out and then that can have an effect on the child.”
The ONS said that surveys and focus groups were conducted between September 2019 and February this year meaning “the findings do not capture any new perspectives children may have developed through being away from school, friends, teachers and extended family; spending more time at home; in home schooling away from their usual activities; and possibly experiencing greater exposure to issues associated with the pandemic such as illness, bereavement and anxiety”.
However, “some of which may have particular relevance in the context of families and children living through the pandemic,” the report states.
Eleanor Rees, head of social wellbeing analysis team at the ONS, said: “"The children spoke to us before the pandemic took hold, and many aspects of life they spoke of, from time with friends and family and having enough to eat to what they need to have a happy future, may have been impacted over the past six months. This may give the findings an additional value in understanding how to support children during these times."
Responding to the report: Richard Crellin, policy and research manager for The Children’s Society, said: “We hope this new report will change the way people think about children’s role in our society; they are just as important as adults. But there is still an enormous challenge ahead. We still don’t have enough good quality national data to really understand how children feel about their lives.
“We urge the government to look closely at the findings of the upcoming consultation and invest in getting data which will help all of us to better understand children’s lives. It’s time we took their well-being as seriously as we do adults’ – and this must start with listening to what they have to say.”