Barnet ranked 646th out of 677 London areas in childhood report

Barnet has been ranked 646th out of 677 London areas in a new report assessing the quality of life for children. The report, titled 'The Childhood Lottery', was published by the Children's Commissioner and examined more than 160 metrics to evaluate the challenges faced by young people across England.

Report Methodology and Findings

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The 'Childhood Lottery' report, commissioned by Dame Rachel De Souza, aimed to highlight disparities in childhood experiences. It analysed data on factors such as child poverty, access to healthcare, education, and the availability of youth services. The overall score for each area was generated by combining these varied metrics.

While Barnet's overall score placed it at 646, other London boroughs showed a wide range of performance. Hounslow was identified as the second worst place to grow up in England, scoring 460. In contrast, Merton ranked second best in England with a score of 714, Richmond upon Thames was fourth with 707, and Haringey placed seventh with 689, all featuring in the top 10.

Wider Disparities Across London

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The report also noted broader trends across London. Several boroughs were flagged for low vaccination rates among children, with Hounslow reporting only 71% of children having received their vaccinations. Barking and Dagenham was identified as having one of the lowest levels of school nurse staffing, with just 1.1 full-time equivalent school nurse per 10,000 children. Additionally, Hackney was among 25 areas where fewer than half of children had seen a dentist.

Child poverty levels also varied significantly. In Richmond upon Thames, 10.6% of children lived in poverty, compared to 50.3% in Tower Hamlets. The report suggests that devolution of power to local decision-makers could offer an opportunity to address these hardships by allowing for more responsive public services tailored to specific local challenges.