UK children have the worst life satisfaction across Europe, report finds

UK kids have the lowest levels of life satisfaction in Europe, according to a report into childhood happiness.

The annual Good Childhood Report from the Children's Society found that a particular "British fear of failure" is just some of the reasons why the figures are so low.

Schoolwork pressures and the rise in child poverty in the UK were also considered as significant reasons behind the figures.

Over one-third of 15-year-olds in the UK have scored low in life satisfaction, measured by factors such as satisfaction with friends, school and a sense of purpose.

64% of UK children were said to have high life satisfaction, this is the lowest figure recorded in 24 countries assessed by the OECD’s Programme for International Assessment.

Children with the highest levels of life satisfaction came from Romania (85%) and Finland (84%).

The data for this report was collected before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which may mean things are much worse now for children in the UK.

According to a Children's Society survey conducted in July, 1.1 million children, about one in five, reported being unhappy in their lives during the lockdown.

The report also showed that girls were unhappier than boys, with a much bigger gap than displayed in any other country assessed.

23% of UK girls had low well-being levels compared to 14% of boys. Although girls initially tend to be happier by the end of primary school compared to boys, by the time they reach between 10-15 years-old, their well-being scores rapidly decrease.