Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner, has stated that services for children in parts of England are in a “state of emergency”. Her report identifies what it claims are the most challenging places in the country for young people.
De Souza highlighted that in some local authorities, individual service failures or systemic issues mean "no child could reasonably be expected to thrive and those that do thrive do so against the odds". She cited conversations with children during visits to schools, youth clubs, and young offender institutions, stating that some of what she heard and saw had "utterly disgusted" her.
The report, titled 'The Children’s Lottery', names Middlesbrough, Hounslow, Bradford, Nottingham, Halton, Peterborough, Leicester, Liverpool, Sunderland and Medway as the hardest places for children to grow up. Conversely, Cheshire East, Merton, Surrey, Richmond upon Thames, Hertfordshire, Cheshire West and Chester, Haringey, Leicestershire, Central Bedfordshire and Wokingham are identified as the least challenging.
The commissioner's analysis uses official data covering more than 160 measures, including child poverty, educational outcomes, community safety, NHS waiting times, and access to playgrounds. She urged the government to establish minimum standards for education, policing, health, and youth services, and to create a national fund to invest in areas that do not meet these benchmarks.
The Department for Education has stated it is working to improve childcare support and school standards, and is empowering "local leaders" to shape the future of education.