Children’s Commissioner calls for national emergency fund to tackle childhood inequalities

The Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza,  has called for a national Children’s Emergency Fund to address inequalities in children’s services, after a new report highlighted significant differences in the conditions and support available to children across the country.

The report, The Childhood Lottery: The hardest places to grow up in England, examines more than 160 measures relating to children’s lives, including education, health, safety and access to local services. It identifies the 20 areas where the data suggests it is hardest to grow up, highlighting how a child’s postcode can influence their experiences and outcomes.

The Commissioner said the research offered a broader picture of childhood than assessments based on individual indicators, showing how disadvantages across different services can combine in particular areas. The report is intended to identify the challenges faced by children rather than provide an overall assessment of individual local authorities.

Among the disparities identified, four local authorities spent nothing on youth services per teenager, compared with the highest-spending authority, where expenditure was £421 per teenager. In some areas, almost 90% of looked-after children were placed outside their local area, compared with almost 20% in areas making the least use of out-of-area placements.

The Commissioner warned that placements away from home could separate children from family relationships and friends, while poor educational outcomes, lengthy health waiting lists and concerns about safety could combine to make childhood particularly difficult.

The 25 areas where the data indicated the greatest challenges included locations across every region of England, such as Middlesbrough, Bradford, Hounslow, Peterborough, Liverpool, Somerset, Nottingham and Birmingham. The report also highlighted that every area had work to do to improve children’s lives, including places where childhood was comparatively less difficult.

Drawing on visits and conversations with children across England, the Commissioner described the impact of local conditions on their daily lives. During a recent visit to Middlesbrough, she heard from children living in an area where concerns about crime affected their ability to play outside safely. She also highlighted the pressures on schools dealing with incidents involving drug overdoses and racist behaviour.

The report calls for the Government’s proposed devolution of powers and spending to communities to be judged on whether it improves outcomes for children and reduces geographical inequalities.