Middlesbrough and Sunderland among hardest places for children

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 19 Oct, 14:02 · Archive

A report on childhood conditions ranks Middlesbrough as the hardest place in England for children to grow up.

The Children's Commissioner for England has published The Childhood Lottery, a report examining conditions for children across every local authority in England. Middlesbrough topped the list of hardest places to grow up, followed by Hounslow, Bradford, Nottingham, Halton, Peterborough, Leicester, Liverpool, Sunderland and Medway. The report assessed nearly 100 measures including access to health and social care, education, housing, safety, opportunities to play, and whether children have a voice in local decision-making.

The report concludes that 'the postcode lottery is real', with children's experiences varying significantly according to where they live. It identifies 'unacceptable outcomes and levels of service delivery for children in too many parts of the country', describing these differences as a 'state of emergency' in some areas. Mental health services show particular variation: the median waiting time from referral to a second contact was six days in Leicester, compared with 118 days in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. More than one million children had active referrals to children and young people's mental health services in 2024-25.

Stakeholders in Middlesbrough acknowledged the findings but cautioned against drawing broader conclusions. Aimey Adamson, deputy principal for curriculum and students at Middlesbrough College, said the ranking did not define children's 'talent, their ambition or their potential'. Wayne Mason, chief executive of the Linx Youth Project in Middlesbrough, linked local challenges to cuts in youth sector funding but noted 'the amount of work that's going on to make life better for youngsters'.

How it is being reported

• 'Children's postcode does not define their future'People react as a new report ranks Middlesbrough the hardest place to grow up in England.BBC Tees · 19 Oct, 13:52
• Middlesbrough and Sunderland 'hardest places to grow up' - report findsMiddlesbrough and Sunderland are among the hardest places in England for children to grow up, a report presented to Parliament on Monday will say.The Northern Echo · 18 Oct, 11:49

In this story: Middlesbrough · Sunderland · Children's Commissioner for England · Aimey Adamson · Wayne Mason · Linx Youth Project

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