Children and young people today: Evidence to support the development of the Children's Plan

More young people than ever are seizing the opportunity of going into further and higher education. However, across a range of outcomes there are some children and young people whose potential is not fulfilled. The effects of poverty and disadvantage can be seen in the evidence on health, safety and educational attainment.

The detailed evidence set out in this report is designed to provide an informative background for further discussion on the way Government and others who work with children and young people should respond to the key issues affecting wellbeing. It highlights the importance of parents, families and wider communities and shows how educational progression and engagement in positive outcomes can be fostered by early years settings, schools, colleges and employers.

It shows where progress has been made in ensuring most are on the path to success. It also points to the areas where some children and young people are not yet developing the personal, life or employability skills that they need in order to become happy and successful adults.

The report is structured around the Department’s strategic objectives, focusing particularly on evidence about the well-being of children and young people. It begins with a chapter setting out some general facts and figures about children and young people, and ends with a further summary against the Every Child Matters outcomes.