Ireland 9th in Child Well-Being Table

r3nu4l

So UNICEF have conducted an exhaustive review of child well-being. British media this morning are despairing that the UK came bottom of the list so I decided to see where Ireland came in (wasn't mentioned by BBC Radio 4 this morning).

Happily, Ireland came in 9th for child well-being. It means that we're not the worst but we're not the best and have to pull our socks up and look after the kids a bit better.

What do you think? Is this a true reflection of Ireland today? We still have homeless children and we still have abused children but it looks like for the average Irish child, things are pretty good.

The full report may be found here

Opinion/rants/sweeping geralisations...let's hear 'em

mike65

Surely this is Humanities (oh the Humanity) material?

Anyways...Irish children are dirt poor (relativly speaking) according to this but at low risk to external dangers, poorly read, have no computer, are in imminant danger of being killed by accidents or lack of immunisation against common diseases, but are quite happy with thier lot in life.

Mike.

Ruu_Old

Probably should be in Humanities but will leave it here for now.

r3nu4l

Hey, I don't mind having it moved, I thought maybe Politics was the place for it, then Humanities crossed my mind but then so did Parenting as well as News & Media as did AH so... feel free to move it.

mike65

Guardian readers reaction

Daily Mail readers thoughts

Mike.

madhitchhiker

mike65 wrote:

Surely this is Humanities (oh the Humanity) material?

Anyways...Irish children are dirt poor (relativly speaking) according to this but at low risk to external dangers, poorly read, have no computer, are in imminant danger of being killed by accidents or lack of immunisation against common diseases, but are quite happy with thier lot in life.

Mike.

above all of these and we're still 9th in child well-being?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

I've always believes that to be the case: the countries that came higher up are the ones that have a wider-based education system and alows children to develop rather than comforming them

Thing that jumped out at me - and this is across the board in terms of countries - is that kids don't value material goods as high up on the list as we think they do.

littlebug

Not so good on the child poverty front though. Though the kids don't seem to mind
This is partly based on the 2002 HBSC (Health Behaviour in School Children) survey. The 2006 HBSC report (National) should be available soon, it'll be interesting to see ifthere have been any changes over the past 4 years. (well I think it'll be interesting anyway:p )

simu

Sharing a bedroom and your parents not having a car are signs of deprivation?
Huh?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Yes, that and not having at least three games consoles and trainers that cost less than 100€.

mike65

Cue Monty Python "four Yorkshireman" sketch.

Mike.