These slides summarise some key messages about children's well-being, drawn from the Well-being of Wales report for 2018.

1. What do we know about children’s well-being?
#wellbeingofwales
Well-being of Wales 2017-18

2. These slides summarise some key
messages about children’s well-being,
drawn from the Well-being of Wales report
for 2017-18.

3. #wellbeingofwales
There have been long-term improvements in terms of a healthy start
in life, with a decline in low birth weight babies, improvements in
dental health and breastfeeding take-up increasing over the decade.
Vaccine uptake in young infants remains high and stable.
Percentage of 5 year olds with
dental decay
Percentage of babies who were
breastfed at birth
Source: Welsh Oral Health Information Unit,
National Community Child Health Database
0
20
40
60
80
100
2015-162011-122007-082005-062003-04
0
20
40
60
80
100
2006 2017
New breastfeeding
definition in 2012

4. #wellbeingofwales
During secondary school there are dramatic changes in children’s
well-being, self-reported health and lifestyles. Whilst at age 11 girls
and boys report similar well-being and self-reported health, by aged
16 a gap is evident, with girls reporting lower well-being and worse
health.
Percentage of children with high life satisfaction, 2013/14
boys
Source: Health Behaviour in School aged Children (HBSC), 2013/14
0
20
40
60
80
100
Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11
School Year
Boys
Girls

5. #wellbeingofwales
Rates for smoking and drinking have fallen considerably over the
years for those aged 11-16. However the number of healthy lifestyles
declines rapidly as children progress through secondary school.
Source: Health Behaviour of School Aged Children
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018
Smoke at least once a week Drinks at least weekly
Percentage of children aged 11-16
following selected health behaviours

6. Adverse Childhood Experience studies highlight the relationship
between harmful experiences in childhood with negative long-term
outcomes.
#wellbeingofwales
Q1 1999 Q2 2017
Source: Welsh Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study
Infographic courtesy of Public Health Wales NHS Trust

7. #wellbeingofwales
Children are the population group most likely to be in relative
income poverty, with the latest data showing that 28 per cent were
living in income poverty. This has fallen over the past few years.
Percentage living in relative income poverty
1994-97 2013-16
Source: Households below average income
0
10
20
30
40
50
1994 to 1997 1998 to 2001 2002 to 2005 2006 to 2009 2010 to 2013 2014 to 2017
Pensioners
Children
Working-age adults
All individuals

8. #wellbeingofwales
Fewer children live in workless households, with falls in the latest
year and over the medium-term.
Percentage of children in workless households
1994-97 2013-16
Source: Annual Population Survey
0
10
20
30
40
50
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Year ending 31st December
Wales
UK

9. Foundation Phase on-entry assessments show how children have
developed before entering school.
#wellbeingofwales
Employment rate (per cent)
Q1 1999 Q2 2017
Source: On-entry assessments of pupils, Welsh Government
On-entry assessments of pupils in reception class
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Disapplied Absent Below 1 Outcome 1 Outcome 2 Outcome 3 Outcome
4+
Female Male Both

10. #wellbeingofwales
Attainment in primary and secondary school has risen in recent
years, although there is variation between socio-economic groups.
1994-97 2013-16
Source: Welsh Examinations Database, Welsh Government
0
20
40
60
80
100
2006/07 2009/10 2012/13 2015/16
Pupils aged 15
Year 11
pupils
Percentage of pupils achieving Level 2 threshold including a GCSE in
English or Welsh first language and mathematics
54.6
28.6
20.6
11.7
0
20
40
60
80
100
All pupils Pupils eligible
for free school
meals
Pupils with
Special
Educational
Needs
All children
receiving care
and support
2016/17
academic year

11. Participation in education, employment or training for young people
post-compulsory education has been increasing in recent years.
#wellbeingofwales
Q1 1999
Source: Annual Population Survey
Percentage of young people in education, employment or training
0
20
40
60
80
100
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Age 16-18
Age 19-24

12. #wellbeingofwales
Attendance and participation in the arts have been increasing over
the past decade.
Percentage of children (aged 7 to 18) who attended an art
event at least once a year
1994-97 2013-16
Source: National Survey for Wales
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

13. #wellbeingofwales
A third of secondary school pupils feel lonely some of the time.
Figures for Wales are similar to other parts of the UK, and girls are
more likely to feel lonely than boys.
1994-97 2013-16
Source: Millennium Cohort Study
41.0
27.0
15.0
10.0 7.0
0
20
40
60
80
100
None of the time Rarely Some of the time Often All of the time
Percentage of secondary school children feeling lonely during
summer holiday, 2017

14. #wellbeingofwales
One in ten secondary school pupils are bullied weekly, and these
figures are relatively high within the UK.
Percentage of secondary school pupils who have
been bullied, 2017
1994-97 2013-16
Source: School Health Research Network (SHRN), 2017
0
20
40
60
80
100
Haven't been in
past two months
Once or twice in
two months
2 or 3 times a
month
About once a
week
Several times a
week

15. The Well-being of Wales report includes…..
#wellbeingofwales

16. A report
summarising
information on
the well-being
of children
#wellbeingofwales

17. Reports on our
national
progress
towards each
of the well-
being goals
#wellbeingofwales

18. Data for the
46 national
indicators
#wellbeingofwales

19. Where can you find the Well-being of Wales
report?
#wellbeingofwales
Well-being report / What do we know about children’s well-being?
https://gov.wales/well-being-wales
Interactive mapping of national indicators to goals
https://gov.wales/well-being-wales-2018-progress-reports-against-well-
being-goals

20. @Statisticswales
Stats.info.desk@gov.wales
Contact us
#wellbeingofwales