A Report on Child Well-being in Spain

The Development of a Comprehensive Index and its

Results

III ISCI Conference, York, 28th of July 2011Maria von Bredow, Research Officer, UNICEF Spain. E-mail: mvbredow@unicef.es

Why this project?

• Lack of index in Spain and a need to develop a system of periodic evaluation• Based on a recommendation by the CRC• Increase the knowledge on children’s situation in Spain• Improve data collection on children’s situation (beyond education and health)• Advocate for a change in data collection procedures (age, regions)•Increase public awareness regarding the fulfilment (or not) of the Rights of the Child in Spain

The process• Desk-study of earlier experiences• Meeting with experts• Participatory process in the

development and decision of:• Dimensions• Indicators

• Final development of Index and feedback

• Publication of first multi-dimensional index by November 2010

The Index

• 7 dimensions• Education• Health and Safety• Material well-being• Family and Social Environment• Vulnerable Children• Lifestyle• Subjective well-being

• A total of 50 indicators

The Results

• A proposal of a national Multi-dimensional Index

• An invitation to an open debate about the Index and Child Well-being indicators

• To follow: A presentation of some examples from the 7 dimensions

1. EducationPercentage of the population between 18 and 24 years of age who have, at most, completed the first part of their Secondary Education and will not continue with their Higher Education.(Source: Ministry of Education 2009)

2. Health and SafetyNumber of children between the ages of 0 and 17 who have died in traffic accidents. (Source: DGT 2009)

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 200950

100

150

200

250

300

350

294

257 251244

179

134

Children deceased in traffic accidents

3. Material Well-beingPercentage of children between 0 and 17 years old who live in households where the equivalent income is less than 60% of the national median (relative poverty). (Source: National Institute for Statistics 2010)

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 (provisional)23.0%

23.2%

23.4%

23.6%

23.8%

24.0%

24.2%

24.4%

24.6%

24.2%

24.0%24.0%

23.6%

24.1%

23.3%

24.5%

In risk of poverty 0-16 years old

Material Well-being 2

Risk of child poverty (%, Eurostat, EU27; 2008)

4. Family and Social Environment

• Percentage of households with dependent children which exhibit dampness in walls, floors or ceilings, leakages, putrefaction or marks on floors, windows or doors: 14.8% (Source: ECV 2008)

• Percentage of children in family foster care in relation to the total number of children in care: 57.5% (Source: National Basic Statistics Nº 11, 2008)

5. Vulnerable Children% of 14 to 18 year-olds who admit to having consumed alcohol at some point during the last 30 days: (Source: State survey on the use of drugs 2000-8)

2000 2002 2004 2006 200852%

54%

56%

58%

60%

62%

64%

66%

68%

60.2%

56.0%

65.6%

58.0%

58.5%

Consumption of alcohol last 30 days 14-18 years old

6. Lifestyle

• Percentage of 11 to 17 year-olds who read books at least once a week: 40.1% (Source: HBSC 2006)• Percentage of 1 to 15 year-olds who watch televisions for at least two hours a day per week (Monday to Friday): 39.9% (Source: ENSE 2006)• Percentage of primary school students who do some kind of cultural (i.e., not athletic) extracurricular activity (theatre, crafts, painting, music, dance): 17.8% (Source: Evaluation Institute, Ministry of Education 2007)

7. Subjective Well-being• Percentage of 11 to 17 year-olds who consider their

classmates to be “friendly and helpful”: 62.8% (Source: HBSC 2006)

• Percentage of 11 to 17 year-olds who claim to agree with the phrase “I feel free to express my ideas and opinions in the activities I engage in during my spare time”: 78.5% (Source: HBSC 2006)

• Percentage of secondary school students (between the ages of 14 and 18) who think that (Source: State survey on the use of drugs 2008):• Consuming alcohol every day can lead to significant

problems: 57.8%• To habitually consume cannabis can lead to significant

problems: 88.3%

Thank you!!