Childhood happiness in the UK has fallen to its lowest level in a decade, with more than 200,000 children unhappy with their lives, according to a report.
For the first time since it was launched in 2009-10, the annual Good Childhood report found overall contentment among 10- to 15-year-olds has dipped below eight on a scale of one to 10. It now stands at 7.89 on average, down from a high of 8.21 in 2011, at a time when adult wellbeing is improving, the Guardian reported.
Almost five percent of those surveyed reported happiness scores below five out of 10, suggesting about 219,000 children in the UK are unhappy.
The Children’s Society, which conducted the research, said the decline in childhood happiness was a national scandal. The charity called on Boris Johnson to move the issue to the top of his agenda and introduce a national measurement of children’s wellbeing.
The report is based on an annual survey of about 2,400 households and a longitudinal study involving 40,000 households.
It found a significant dip in contentment about friends and school among both boys and girls and an increase in unhappiness among boys about their appearance.
Happiness with friends dropped from an average of 8.99 out of 10 in 2009-10 to 8.59 last year. And 2.8 percent of the children surveyed are unhappy with their friends. The report also found 11.8 percent are unhappy with school, the highest level since the survey began.
Asked why he is unhappy with his appearance, one boy surveyed said, “Like Instagram and stuff, right? You see all these models, you see all these weightlifters, bodybuilders, and you look at yourself and you’re like: ‘I look like a stick.’ I feel like we’re exposed to a lot more, so we are less secure about our appearance.”
The survey also showed 33 percent of children are very or quite worried about whether they will have enough money in the future, and 29 percent worry they will not find a job. Forty-two percent are very or quite worried about crime and 41 percent are very or quite worried about the environment. Only 24 percent are worried about Brexit.
Richard Crellin, the policy and research manager at the Children’s Society, said the research provided observational data, so it was difficult to pinpoint reasons for the decline in childhood happiness.
But he added, “Children appear to be having declining happiness with their friends, which is concerning. And boys have seen a significant decline in how they feel about their appearance. It is too soon to report a trend, but there were also big dips this year in [happiness about] school and schoolwork. If that continues it would suggest young people are finding school increasingly difficult.”
Mark Russell, the chief executive of the Children’s Society, said, “Modern childhood is a happy and carefree time for most, yet for too many it is not. It is a national scandal that children’s unhappiness is increasing so quickly.
“We are urging the government to introduce a national measurement of children’s wellbeing so we can really listen, respond and show young people they matter.”
Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, said the report should act as “wakeup call to ministers.”
Source: Iran Daily
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