The Good Childhood Report 2018

1. The Good Childhood Report 2018

2. Introduction This presentation covers: • What is well-being and why does it matter? • The latest figures and trends over time • Gender patterns in well-being • Conclusions

3. What is well-being and why does it matter?

4. What is well-being? Well-being • Subjective • Children’s own assessments of the quality of their lives • Objective • Social and economic indicators e.g. poverty • Self-report measures e.g. exercise, drinking/drugs

5. National  • Over 65,000 children involved in research • 7 Good Childhood Reports • Official source of data on children's well-being (ONS) • The Good Childhood Index: used by 100s of organisations  • International  • 3 waves of the Children’s Worlds international survey • Gender differences in appearance / bullying not the same everywhere • Local • 41 locations across England • 43,000 8-18 year olds involved in surveys • 8,500 involved in face-to-face consultations • The Good Childhood Index used as measure of impact, starting to use in Torbay Project

6. The latest figures

8. This year’s highlights: trends over time

9. Exploring well being in a local area Using the Good Childhood survey and consulting with young people on the findings Local assessments of well being

10. 40 more locations across England since then • Local authority areas, city, town, school clusters • Camelford, Torpoint, Camborne, Liskeard, Falmouth • Emerging trends and patterns as well as variations • Helston the first location • Since 2011

11. Explaining gender patterns in well-being

12. Gender trends over 20 years

13. Family relationships more important for girls’ well-being • Time spent with friends more important for boys’ well-being • Gender: relationships

14. Widespread comments about appearance and sexual behaviour more important for girls’ well-being • Gender: appearance

15. Gender stereotypes

16. Local well being assessments What we have heard from young people

17. Consultation findings • The look • Conforming and fitting in, school uniform • The route home from school • An emerging picture of key pressures and issues especially for girls • Appearance

18. Consultation findings • The look • Conforming and fitting in, school uniform • The route home from school • An emerging picture of key pressures and issues • Appearance • Observations and comments from boys • Limited attention given to the impact on girls • Greater focus on building resilience • Sexism

19. Consultation findings • The look • Conforming and fitting in, school uniform • The route home from school • An emerging picture of key pressures and issues • Appearance • Observations and comments from boys • Limited attention given to the impact on girls • Greater focus on building resilience • Sexism • A closed contained environment • Appearance a feature of behaviour • Navigating the school day • School

20. Well-being & Mental Health

21. We looked at a measure of overall subjective well-being, a measure of depression (the Moods and Feelings Questionnaire) and a measure of emotional and behavioural difficulties (the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) • Different measures identify different children as in need of support • Girls - and children attracted to same or both genders - have lower well-being and higher rates of depression (MFQ) • Boys – and children in low income families - have higher rates of emotional and behavioural difficulties (SDQ) • Mental health and well-being measures

23. Self-harm related to all 3 measures • But well-being is a more important predictor of self-harm than the SDQ • Data from children is the gold standard • Self-harm

24. Young people managing disadvantage • Helps if people know your needs, but too many people knowing doesn’t • Stigma and being bullied • Being known

25. Young people managing disadvantage • Helps if people know your needs, but too many people knowing doesn’t • Stigma and being bullied • Being known • Big changes, bringing new starts or losing support and understanding • Social media as a support • Transitions

26. Young people managing disadvantage • Helps if people know your needs, but too many people knowing doesn’t • Stigma and being bullied • Being known • Big changes, bringing new starts or losing support and understanding • Social media as a support • Transitions • Community acceptance as important as facilities • Valuing what young people value • Local space

27. Conclusions • Small changes make a big difference • Prioritising well being over other considerations • Listen, learn, apply • Well being, not just well becoming

28. Thank you http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/well-being