TEENAGERS in the UK are less happy than their European peers, a new report by the Children’s Society suggests.
The charity’s mostly annual Good Childhood report, published on Thursday, says that one quarter of UK 15-year-olds report having low life satisfaction: almost nine percentage points higher than the average reported in 26 other European nations.
The report analyses data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which, in 2022, surveyed 700,000 15-year-olds, of whom 12,972 were from the UK. These findings are complemented with the results of a survey of 2056 children and young people (aged ten to 17) conducted by the Children’s Society in the UK between April and June this year.
The latter survey found that children who were living under conditions of financial strain were more likely to report low life satisfaction.
Children were asked about nine different areas of life, including family, health, home, choice, and the future. More children were unhappy about school (14 per cent) than any of the other areas.
In total, almost one third of 15-year-old girls reported being unhappy with their life, and the gap to their male counterparts is widening. Body image appeared to be one of the main factors: one in four girls reported that they were unhappy with their appearance, compared with nine per cent of boys. On average, girls were also less likely to be satisfied with family and school.
The chief executive of the Children’s Society, Mark Russell, said that “alarm bells are ringing”, and highlighted the link between mental well-being and socio-economic disadvantage.
The report says that the UK ranks fourth highest for food poverty among 21 European countries, behind Bulgaria, Romania, and Lithuania: 11 per cent of children in the UK reported skipping at least one meal due to lack of money in the month before completing the survey.
Despite the bleak findings, Mr Russell said that the Children’s Society was not merely highlighting problems. He said: “We’re advocating for solutions. We have devised concrete steps to address these national challenges. It’s time for change, and we’re committed to leading the way.”
The report describes the change of Government in the UK as “an opportunity to reset and refocus”, and called on the Government to “act on their manifesto’s recognition of the importance of children’s well-being”.
In July, Mr Russell welcomed the new Government’s establishment of a Child Poverty Unit as a “good start”, but said that it was “clear that more decisive actions will be needed” (Comment, 26 July).
Mr Russell joined Church of England bishops in the House of Lords in calling on the new Government to scrap the two-child benefits cap — a policy which is reportedly under review (News, 25 July).