Childhood wellbeing

The DCSF and other government departments have worked together to produce this report into childhood wellbeing by asking parents and children.

Key points:
- Although initially those taking part in the research thought the components of a happy childhood were obvious, on reflection many decided that it was an important topic which needed discussion.
- Some parents found discussions uncomfortable as they did not want to pass judgement on others and they also felt both huge responsibility and powerlessness.
- There was a lot of consensus within each discussion group and across the sample.
- Parents felt it was difficult to apply the term good childhood to childhood today as they associated the term closely with their own upbringing which was very different.
- Wellbeing was interpreted as being physically well, or having the essentials in life, rather than having a sense of nurturing. Happy childhood was another difficult term as happiness was seen as temporary; content childhood was seen as a better term.
- Both parents, children and young people recognised the 5 ECM outcomes as crucial to a content childhood. Safety was felt to be very important, economic wellbeing as not so important, and being healthy was rarely mentioned.
- The influence of family was felt to be a fundamental factor in a content childhood.
- There was also agreement on what undermined conditions for a good childhood, including, an unsafe environment, financial pressure and lack of quality family time.