Yesterday, the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre released an illuminating report entitled “An Overview of Child Well-Being In Rich Countries.” Germany generally falls in the middle for all six measurements, but what is sad is that the USA and the UK are typically near the bottom of the lists, below poorer eastern European countries. The report is really interesting and has been strangely ignored by the big American news websites. I couldn’t find the report mentioned on the front page or education headlines of any of the major sites, but it may be hidden away somewhere that I didn’t look, and of course, stories like these are much more newsworthy: It’s gross to kiss your sis — and here’s why, Bi-Coastal Battle Over Anna Nicole’s Body and Baby, And then there were 24 on ‘Idol’, Stop Gumming Up Sex-Ed.
If you do want to read an article about the report, BBC News asks the question, Why are Dutch children so happy?, and SpiegelOnline International finds British and American Children most Disadvantaged.
Following is a summary of the rankings overall and in the six different measures, for more details on the rankings and how they were calculated, please read the report.
Overall average
1. Netherlands
2. Sweden
…
11. Germany
…
20. USA
21. UK (last place)
Material Well-Being
1. Sweden
2. Norway
…
14. Germany
…
20. USA
…
24. Poland (last)
The components of this measure were: relative income poverty (where the US was dead last), households w/o jobs, and reported deprivation
Health and Safety
1. Sweden
2. Ireland
…
12. Germany
…
25. USA (last)
The components of this measure were: health at age 0-1, preventative health services, and safety
Educational Well-Being
1. Belgium
2. Canada
…
11. Germany
…
14. USA
…
24. Portugal (last)
The components of this measure were: school achievement at age 15, beyond basics, and the transition to employment
Relationships (Family & Peer)
1. Italy
2. Portugal
…
13. Germany
…
20. USA
21. UK (last)
The components of this measure were: family structure, family relationships, and peer relationships
Behaviors and Risks
1. Sweden
2. Poland
…
11. Germany
…
20. USA
21. UK (last)
The components of this measure were: health behaviors, risk behaviors, and experience of violence
Subjective Well-Being
1. Netherlands
2. Spain
…
9. Germany
…
20. UK (last)
*USA not ranked
The components of this measure were: health, school life, personal well-being
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Very interesting report! Thanks for sharing it.
spiegel.de and icwales.co.uk both ran quite interesting articles on the subject.
It’s probably not as publicized in the US, because IMO most Americans don’t want to hear what the report has to say.
We’re one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and most pathetic.
I was surprised at the results also, I would have thought Canada would have done better as for US, funny when I tried to tell my stepson and his girlfriend from California about it and they thought I was nuts. Perception is everything, isn’t it…ciao
Hey, spare a thought for the UK! I think we’re at the bottom of everything…….
Man, I just did a blog search for people in the US blogging about this story and… I’ve lost my faith in humanity. It’s even worse (as in “in denial”) than the reaction to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report that just came out. Blah! I’m going to have to crawl in a hole and avoid people for a while.