[P]rofessionals who work with children across Cumbria will today (2 May 2018) hear the views of what 6,300 local youngsters have to say about life growing up in the county.
More than 100 professionals from children’s services, health, police, education, voluntary sector and others, will be in attendance at the event on Wednesday 2 May, which is being run by Barnardo’s and the University of Cumbria at the Fusehill St Campus.
Throughout the day, delegates will hear about the findings from one of the largest surveys of its kind to give a voice to children in Cumbria, which was carried out in 2017 by children’s charity Barnardo’s.
In total, around 6,300 children aged between eight and 12 have taken part in the county-wide survey. Children from all different backgrounds were asked about the things they love, dislike and worry about most growing up in Cumbria, as well as finding out who children would turn to if they needed help and what they would wish for if they could change things for their families and other kids.
The survey results have been well received by services and organisations working with children across the county. Barnardo’s and the University of Cumbria hope that tomorrow’s event will be the next step in using this data to shape and influence the way services for children are delivered in Cumbria.
In October last year, Barnardo’s announced its findings after more than 4,500 eight to 12 year olds took part in the survey from Allerdale, Eden, Carlisle and South Lakes.
Since that time, an additional 1,800 children from Copeland and Furness have been surveyed and the results from these areas will be announced to professionals at the event.
Barnardo’s Children’s Services Manager, Julie Fletcher said: “We are delighted that the findings from this survey have been embraced by children’s services and other organisations who work closely with children across Cumbria.
“This piece of work has given such a strong voice to children in Cumbria, with one in three spoken to, and what has become clear is that even at such a young age, children are extremely astute to what is going on in the wider world around them. The survey has highlighted their awareness of health and loss and their concern for the wellbeing of their families and other children, including those living in poverty and not as fortunate as themselves.
“This latest event with the University of Cumbria is the next step in working with other services to look at how we can use our children’s voices to make a difference to the lives of families in the region.”
Prof Pete Boyd, Director of the Learning, Education and Development (LED) Research Centre at the University of Cumbria said: “Listening to children is important because it helps us to respond to their needs and ambitions. This is useful because it can help to inform the work of a wide range of public services, schools and community groups. However, it is important to carefully design the way that we gather children’s views and interpret what they are saying. If many children tell us their ambition is to become professional netball or football player, we might work towards developing more local sports facilities and coaching, but we do not stop teaching them maths and poetry.
“In working with children across Cumbria, we should identify and build on their strengths and interests, rather than being distracted by the often negative impressions of young people reported in the media.”
Updated findings from the survey (including new data for Copeland and Furness)
More than 3,200 children (50%) surveyed in Cumbria wish they could change life for other children in the county so they don’t live in poverty, have friends and can be happy.
When children were asked if they could change one thing for every child living in Cumbria if they had a magic wand, 27% (more than 1,700) said they wished that children didn’t have to live in poverty and could have better homes, more money and food, and a further 23% (1510) said they wished children and their families didn’t have to go through tough times and that everyone could be well, have friends and be happy.
More than 670 children (10%) wished they could spend more quality time with their family (including through parents working less and being able to see relatives more often) and a staggering 31% of children (almost 2,000) wished that their families didn’t have things to worry about (including ill health and other worries) and that they could live happily ever after.
The resounding thing that children loved most about living in Cumbria (37%) was the environment around them – being in the countryside and in nature where they could be active, followed by 16% who loved their home and family life. Unsurprisingly, however, the environment (for reasons such as flooding and weather) also featured as the thing that most children (39%) disliked about living in the county.
The survey also highlighted children’s awareness of issues in the world around them, with 16% (1050) saying the thing they worried about most was bad things happening to them (including personal safety and being groomed or abducted). A further 13% worried about the environment around them, for factors such as flooding and industrialisation, and eight per cent of children said they were worried about terrorism.
Another key finding to come from the survey was that when children were asked who they would talk to (other than close family) if they needed help, 27% (more than 1750) responded to say they would confide in a friend, setting a challenge for Barnardo’s and other organisations to consider how these children are supported, so they are in turn able to support their peers.
The initial findings from the survey (including the 4,500 responses from Allerdale, Carlisle, Eden and South Lakes) were announced on Sunday 15 October 2017 at a special ‘Summit 17’ day event in Carlisle, where issues found to be of concern to children were highlighted and discussed.
A group of children from areas the survey had been carried out supported Barnardo’s to organise the family-focused Summit 17 event, where senior officials from police, council, NHS and Barnardo’s were quizzed by a panel of children to find out how the themes raised in the survey can be addressed.
Children, their families and professionals from Cumbria sat as audience to the debate and also took part in a number of workshops, before spending the afternoon enjoying a range of activities together such as sports, craft sessions, gaming and pamper areas.
With more than a quarter (*1) of the county’s eight to 12-year-olds taking part in the survey, it makes it one of the largest reviews of its kind to give a voice to children in Cumbria.
The results of the survey have been shared with many organisations across Cumbria, including Children’s Services, Police, NHS, Environment and others.
(*1) There are approximately 21,050 eight to 12 year olds living in Cumbria and around 6,300 have now responded to the survey.
NEW SURVEY FINDINGS
Copeland
Around 730 of the children that responded to the survey were from the Copeland area. Of these children:
- 41% said the thing the loved most about living in Cumbria was the world around them (being in the countryside/in nature/could be active outdoors).
- 45% of children said that the environment (for reasons such as flooding and weather) was the thing they disliked most about living in the county.
- 13% (higher than other areas) worried about bad things happening in their community and out and about (such as traffic, road accidents, crime and fires)
- 14% said they worried about bad things happening to them (including personal safety and being groomed or abducted).
- When children were asked if they could change one thing for every child living in Cumbria if they had a magic wand, 31% said they wished that children didn’t have to live in poverty and could have better homes and more money and food.
Furness
Around 840 of the children that responded to the survey were from the Furness area. Of these children:
- 14% (higher than other areas) said the thing they loved most about Cumbria was their education and learning lots at school.
- 41% of children said that the environment (for reasons such as flooding and weather) was the thing they disliked most about living in the county.
- 23% (higher than other areas) said they worried about bad things happening to them (including personal safety, strangers and being groomed or abducted).
– When children were asked if they could change one thing for every child living in Cumbria if they had a magic wand, 32% said they wished that children didn’t have to live in poverty and could have better homes and more money and food. A significant number of children also made specific comments about their concerns for homeless people in the area.
Allerdale
More than 970 of the children that responded to the survey were from the Allerdale area. Of these children:
- 35% said the thing the loved most about living in Cumbria was the world around them (being in the countryside/in nature/could be active outdoors).
- 35% of children said that the environment (for reasons such as flooding and weather) was the thing that they disliked most about living in the county.
- When asked what worried them the most about being a child in Cumbria, 18% said they worried about bad things happening to them (including personal safety and being groomed or abducted).
- When children were asked if they could change one thing for every child living in Cumbria if they had a magic wand, 26% said they wished that children didn’t have to live in poverty and could have better homes and more money and food, and a further 26% said they wished children and their families didn’t have to go through tough times and that everyone could be well and have friends and be happy.
Eden
Almost 500 of the children that responded to the survey were from the Eden area. Of these children:
- 46% said the thing the loved most about living in Cumbria was the world around them (being in the countryside/in nature/could be active outdoors).
- 39% of children said that the environment (for reasons such as flooding and weather) was the thing that they disliked most about living in the county.
- When asked what worried them the most about being a child in Cumbria, 13% said they worried about bad things happening to them (including personal safety and being groomed or abducted).
- When asked who they would talk to (other than close family) if they needed help, 38% responded to say they would confide in a friend.
South Lakes
More than 910 of the children that responded to the survey were from the South Lakes area. Of these children:
- 52% said the thing the loved most about living in Cumbria was the world around them (being in the countryside/in nature/could be active outdoors).
- 39% of children said that the environment (for reasons such as flooding and weather) was the thing that they disliked most about living in the county.
- When asked if they could make one wish for their family, 33% of children wished that their families didn’t have things to worry about (including ill health and other worries) and that they could live happily ever after.
Carlisle
More than 2,270 of the children that responded to the survey were from the Carlisle area. Of these children:
- 18% said the thing they liked most about living in Cumbria was their home and family life.
- 35% of children said that the environment (for reasons such as flooding and weather) was the thing that they disliked most about living in the county.
- When asked who they would talk to (other than close family) if they needed help, 27% responded to say they would confide in a friend.
- When asked if they could change one thing for every child living in Cumbria if they had a magic wand, 22% said they wished children and their families didn’t have to go through tough times and that everyone could be well and have friends and be happy.