Children's Commissioner declares national emergency over inequalities facing English youth

Children in England are facing a national emergency due to wide variations in life chances across local council areas, according to the Daily Mail. The Children's Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, published a landmark report describing these gaps as Dickensian. [1]

The study analysed 162 measures of children's lives, including health, education, criminality, housing, and welfare, the Daily Mail reported. Middlesbrough in the North East ranked as the worst council area for children, while Hounslow was also identified among the hardest hit regions. [1]

By contrast, the Daily Mail noted that Cheshire East in the North West fared the best among all analysed council areas. The report represents the most comprehensive data analysis of its kind into the circumstances facing children across the country. [1]