Children’s commissioner warns youth services in parts of England face a state of emergency

Areas facing the greatest challenges

De Souza’s analysis identifies Middlesbrough and Hounslow among the hardest places in England for young people to grow up. It draws on official data across more than 160 measures, including child poverty, educational outcomes, community safety, NHS waiting times and playground access.

The report says the most challenging conditions are not just figures in a monitoring system. It describes risks such as racist abuse and violence on the way to school, and children contacting schools when their parents have died at home.

Children’s experiences prompt concern

De Souza said visits to schools, youth clubs and young offender institutions had exposed her to accounts and scenes that “utterly disgusted” her. She gave examples of parents explaining why children cannot safely play outside and school staff dealing with drug overdoses and racist abuse.

She also said police chases had become a main source of entertainment in some places. The report stresses that the emergency conditions do not affect every child or every area, but argues that children are being failed in many communities.

Calls for standards and investment

De Souza urged the government to make children a priority in its devolution agenda. She called for minimum standards covering education, policing, health and youth services, alongside a national fund for areas that do not meet those benchmarks. The report also names Cheshire East, Merton, Surrey, Richmond upon Thames, Hertfordshire, Cheshire West and Chester, Haringey, Leicestershire, Central Bedfordshire and Wokingham as among the least challenging places to be a child.