In August, The Children’s Society published its 2024 Good Childhood Report, exploring the wellbeing of children and young people in the UK.

#BeeWell welcomes its call for a national measurement of children and young people’s wellbeing.

The annual Good Childhood Report provides an insight into how children and young people are feeling about their lives. This year’s report highlights a continuing decline in young people’s wellbeing in the UK. Too many young people are unhappy with their lives. For example 11% of children and young people had low wellbeing and 14% were unhappy with school.

It’s clear that urgent action is needed to improve the wellbeing and life satisfaction of children and young people growing up in the UK. Young people across the country are affected by really significant issues such as the cost of living crisis and the climate emergency. As the report acknowledges, national leadership will be vital if we are to address these issues. 

As well as identifying some key issues, the Children’s Society set out a roadmap to a good childhood which highlights the importance of a national wellbeing measurement programme.

“A national initiative must begin to ensure that every child is consistently asked about their wellbeing on an annual basis to accompany the new Children’s Wellbeing Bill. This would inform the national mission on children’s wellbeing as well as allow needs to be identified, and responded to, at varying local levels – national, regional, local healthcare systems, schools etc. Once established, the results should be built into national accountability and inform local decision-making to act on what children tell us about their wellbeing. This would also enable greater understanding, and subsequent action, for groups of children and young people often underrepresented within existing surveys.” – A National Roadmap to a Good Childhood (GCR 2024 Policy Briefing) 

We at #BeeWell welcome the call for a national measurement of children and young people’s wellbeing. If we are to ensure young people have access to the support they need, we have to understand they issues they’re experiencing – at an individual, school, community and national level. This means that when it comes to measuring wellbeing, schools, services, local government and national government all have important roles to play.

The #BeeWell programme currently runs in two areas of the UK: in Greater Manchester and in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. We listen to young people’s voices in these regions and we drive action across society based on the results: working with local government, health, the voluntary sector, schools and young people themselves to take action for young people’s wellbeing.

A national initiative that consistently asks every child about their wellbeing, with insights informing local action is essential for putting young people’s voices at the heart of youth wellbeing policy.

With a new government and a Children’s Wellbeing Bill on the way, we have a window of opportunity to call for a national programme of youth wellbeing measurement.

Find out more about the Good Childhood Report on The Children’s Society website.