Children in Need: Survey reveals how young people feel

A new survey by BBC Children in Need aims to show what life has been like for children in the UK over the last 18 months.

The survey spoke to 1,000 children and young people, as well as 1,008 parents in the UK, about things like poverty, disability and mental health.

The research looked at the impact the covid pandemic has had on the lives of children and their parents with one in three children saying they felt their lives had got worse in the last year and a half.

The survey is part of Children in Need's new 2021 fundraising appeal called: Together, We Can. A third of children surveyed said that they often feel anxious (35%) and worried about their future (36%), and that one in three feel their lives have become worse over the last 18 months (33%).

Many of the parents surveyed agreed, with almost three quarters of them (73%) saying they are worried about the impact the pandemic has had on their children, and feeling that children and young people will be worse off in general as a result of the pandemic.

There are around four million children living in poverty in the UK, and the impact of Covid-19 has meant that many families are facing more money worries and difficulties.

The survey showed that, children and young people from poorer backgrounds felt less positive about their futures, compared with children from better off households (38% vs 73%), and were less confident that they would achieve their dream job in the future (33% vs 66%). However, children said that when they are having a bad day, listening to music (47%), talking to friends (39%), watching TV or a film (38%), talking to family (36 %) or playing a video game (31%) helped them to feel better.

BBC Children in Need's Chief Executive, Simon Antrobus said: "Our research clearly shows that the lasting effects of the pandemic are continuing to impact the lives of children and young people across the UK. As a charity, we want to ensure no child feels alone and that every child is supported to thrive and be the best they can be."