UNICEF released the results of a study conducted to determine the well-being of children in 21 economically advanced industrialized countries. The study looked at 6 dimensions of child well-being, these areas included:

  • Material well-being: measuring relative income poverty, households without jobs, and reported deprivation.
  • Health and safety: measuring health at age 0-1, preventative health services, and safety (such as rate of death from accidents and injuries).
  • Educational well-being: measuring school achievement at age 15, percentage of children that go beyond the basics, the transition to employment.
  • Family and peer relationships: measuring family structure, family relationships (such as eating together as a family), and peer relationships.
  • Behaviors and risk: measuring health behaviors, risk behaviors, and experience of violence.
  • Subjective well-being: results of child’s perception of their own well-being in the areas of health, school life, and personal well-being. Children were asked questions about each area and countries were ranked based on the children’s responses.

Based on the results in the various areas the 21 countries were ranked. So how did everyone measure up? Here are the country rankings based on the results of the study:

  1. Netherlands
  2. Sweden
  3. Denmark
  4. Finland
  5. Spain
  6. Switzerland
  7. Norway
  8. Italy
  9. Ireland
  10. Belgium
  11. Germany
  12. Canada
  13. Greece
  14. Poland
  15. Czech Republic
  16. France
  17. Portugal
  18. Austria
  19. Hungary
  20. United State
  21. United Kingdom

The study found that there was no direct correlation between the wealth of a country (their gross domestic product per capita) and the well-being of children. For example the Czech Republic has a fairly low GDP compared with the United States and yet still ranked higher. The study found that every country had some weaknesses and areas to work on.

The importance of this study is that it shows us we have a long way to go to ensure the well-being of our children.

What do you find interesting about this study? How do you feel we could better the well-being of our children?

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