UK BOTTOM OF LEAGUE TABLE ON CHILD WELL-BEING – NCH WEST MIDLANDS REACTION

As the UK comes bottom of a United Nations league table for child well-being across 21 industrialised countries, NCH West Midlands Children’s Services Director Karen Stone said that she hoped the report would lead to greater public discussion about child welfare issues including poverty, health and well-being.

[ClickPress, Wed Feb 14 2007] As the UK comes bottom of a United Nations league table for child well-being across 21 industrialised countries, NCH West Midlands Children’s Services Director Karen Stone said that she hoped the report would lead to greater public discussion about child welfare issues including poverty, health and well-being.

Reacting to today’s UNICEF report, which looks at indicators including poverty, health and family relationships, Karen Stone said: “In many ways our children and young people are being failed and it’s clear that much more needs to be done if we’re to give children the best start in life – not just by government but by all of society.

“Life is a daily struggle for thousands of children and teenagers in the West Midlands for reasons including poverty, disability and social exclusion – issues we are highlighting in our current West Midlands Every Child Matters Appeal.

“The UNICEF report reminds us how important it is that the Government sticks to its commitment to halve child poverty by 2010. The findings not only underline the importance of the government’s Every Child Matters agenda but for organisations like NCH who support very disadvantaged children, young people and families across the UK, it emphasises the crucial role the third sector must play in tackling these issues.”

On launching its Every Child Matters Appeal last year, NCH revealed that the number of vulnerable and disadvantaged children using its services in the West Midlands has soared by over 350% over the past five years. It said that almost 20,400 children and teenagers were using these services, compared to 5,800 five years ago.

NCH today works with more children and young people than any other charity. The West Midlands Every Child Matters Appeal aims to raise at least £300,000 to help run its local NCH centres that are working with over 20,000 children and young people, and their families.

These services include support for young carers; accommodation, moral and practical support for young people who are leaving care or are homeless; and care for disabled children and their families. NCH also runs local adoption and fostering, educational, divorce mediation and family support services.

For example, five local NCH centers in the West Midlands work for the welfare and independence of disabled children and young people, and provide residential breaks, educational and leisure activities, family support and other services.

Meanwhile, there may be as many as 5,000 young carers - young people under 18 who regularly provide care and support to another person - in Birmingham alone. NCH Birmingham Young Carers Project has supported over 350 children and young people caring for their parents and other family members with long-term illness, disability or drug/alcohol problems.

To donate or to support NCH, call 0121 321 5180, or write to ‘Every Child Matters Appeal’, NCH, 8 Mill Street, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B72 1TJ. Please make cheques payable to NCH.

Ends

Notes to editors
1. NCH is one of the UK’s leading children’s charities, working in partnership to run nearly 500 services for more than 160,000 of the UK’s most vulnerable children, young people and their families
2. NCH was previously known as National Children's Home. It rebranded in 2002 to become NCH, the children's charity.
3. For further information visit www.nch.org.uk

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