Children from England’s impoverished areas ‘less likely to achieve development goals by age five’
The aid agency UNICEf UK says English children from impoverished areas of the island-nation are twice less likely from 75% of pre-schoolers to reach good levels of development by age 5.
A report by the UK branch of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) mapped every local authority area across England measuring its level of deprivation and a range of early childhood health and educational outcomes such as oral health, weight and A&E (Accident and Emergency) attendance.
It reveals that children in England’s most impoverished areas are over twice as far from reaching the government’s target of 75% of young children achieving a “good level of development” compared with those in the most affluent areas.
The five most deprived local authorities (Blackpool, Hull, Knowsley, Liverpool, and Middlesbrough) ranked among the lowest 20% for five out of the six measures of child well-being, according to the analysis.
The study also showed that obesity levels in reception-aged children in the most deprived areas are more than double (12.9%) compared to children in the most affluent areas (6%).
In the most deprived areas, nearly twice as many children have untreated tooth decay (29%), compared to the most affluent areas (6%).
Babies and young children in the most deprived areas of England have 55% more visits to A&E than those in the most affluent areas.
Philip Goodwin, the chief executive officer (CEO) of UNICEF (UK branch) said, “The consequences of poverty can last a lifetime and are especially harmful for babies and young children. Growing up in poverty damages children’s life chances and our analysis shows the scale of the problem across the country.”
“There must be immediate, decisive, and ambitious action by the government. Any further delays will condemn hundreds of thousands of children to poverty and its effects, as child poverty rates continue to rise,” he warned.
According to another report published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in April last year, 4.3 million children, or 30% of all children in England, live in low-income households.
The government says unexpectedly high inflation, driven by the war in Ukraine and supply chain challenges, has contributed to the rise of poverty, especially child poverty.
Protestors arrested at High Court as Palestine Action fights UK proscription
BBC board member Shumeet Banerji resigns over governance failures
BBC managers resign over edited Trump speech
US yet unwilling to engage in serious talks, must accept Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy: FM
VIDEO | Olympic flame travels through the streets of Rome and Vatican
Syria’s Alawite Council calls for general strike over HTS religious violence
Iranian boys’ team crowned champions at World U-21 Taekwondo
Pentagon chief under pressure to resign over Caribbean 'war crimes'
Iran’s economy expands slightly in H1 calendar year
Palestinian woman and son killed by Israeli fire in Gaza, bringing day’s death toll to eight
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
