The Children’s Society’s ‘Good Childhood Report’ 2024 has revealed worrying statistics. The charity is calling for the government to act now

The 13th ‘Good Childhood Report’ by The Children’s Society has painted a concerning picture of wellbeing and happiness amongst UK teens. 

The annual report which measures the subjective wellbeing of children and young people in the UK allows the charity and the government to identify who needs further support and what this might look like. It looks at factors such as their life as a whole, appearance, friends and family, and schooling. 

When comparing the wellbeing of 15-year-olds in the UK and 27 other European nations, the charity found that teens in the UK are at the bottom in terms of life satisfaction, on average, with a quarter (25.2%) reporting low life satisfaction. This is nearly 9 percentage points higher than the European average. This highlights a great disparity compared to Dutch teens, who reported the smallest proportion of low life satisfaction at just 6.7%. 

What’s more, analysis shows that the wellbeing of teenage girls in the UK is under significant strain. The figures reveal that nearly one in three UK girls aged 15 report low life satisfaction, compared to one in five boys. Both of these figures are proportionally higher than the other European countries surveyed.

These findings are also reflected in The Children’s Society’s annual household survey from 2024, which found that children and young people aged 10 to 17 from financially strained households were more likely to have low life satisfaction (17%) than their peers in households not under financial strain (9%). Between January and March 2024, a larger proportion of parents and carers were identified as being in financial strain. Over half (53%) reported that they struggled to afford a holiday away from home, and 41% said they found it difficult to afford activities to celebrate special occasions. 

Given the current concerns around economic difficulties in the UK, The Children’s Society included several other related questions in this year’s report. When asked about the impact of the cost of living, 41% of children and young people said they were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ worried. This highlights the wider issue of societal inequalities affecting young people's wellbeing in the UK. 

Commenting on the outcomes, Mark Russell – CEO at The Children’s Society – said:  

“Alarm bells are ringing: UK teenagers are facing a happiness recession […] Particularly affected are girls and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Equally alarming is the high level of food poverty found among these young people. The UK ranks 4th highest for food poverty among 15-year-olds across 21 European countries, underscoring the severe impacts of societal inequalities on their wellbeing.” 

The Children’s Society is also calling for urgent government attention to act on these findings, and so has published a proposed roadmap in an effort to prioritise children’s wellbeing. The charity emphasises the importance of immediate action to prevent long-term implications for the future of the UK's young population. 

Concluding their report, The Children’s Society notes that UK children are growing up in undoubtedly challenging times, with factors such as school and long NHS waiting times playing into this. However, one positive finding suggests that family relationships are vital in supporting children’s wellbeing, with no change in family satisfaction scores (compared the the first survey). 

With scores declining year-on-year, the charity recognises that a targeted, strategic and long-term approach is needed to overturn this decline – namely in mental health care, addressing poverty, the safety of young people and the climate emergency. Their recommendations include:

  • early interventions to prevent mental health crises
  • recognising happiness as a success marker in prioritising children’s wellbeing 
  • reforming the schooling experience
  • improving girls’ wellbeing
  • and eradicating child poverty by ensuring no family goes without essentials. 

"The time for action is now. We need to address these issues head-on and provide a better future for our children," said Mark Russell.  

For more information on child-related issues and how counselling can support young people's mental health, visit Counselling Directory.

The Children’s Society is a registered UK charity that fights for hope by understanding the needs of young people and by supporting them through their most serious life challenges.