Photo credit: Still North Photography.
In Children’s Commissioners Childhood Lottery report, which assesses children’s experiences and outcomes across England, North Tyneside ranked 14th out of 153 local authorities, making it the highest-ranked area in the North East.
The report examines 162 measures of children’s lives, including health, education, safety and access to opportunities and highlighted areas where children and young people growing up in the borough receive strong services and support.
The borough ranked first in England for the proportion of schools with a dedicated member of staff supporting young carers and ranked among the top ten authorities nationally for children feeling supported by their teachers, having someone they can talk to, and access to Mental Health Support Teams in schools.
Health outcomes were another area of strength, with North Tyneside ranking in the top ten nationally for childhood vaccination coverage and in the top 20 for adolescent vaccination uptake.
The data also showed children in North Tyneside are more likely than those in many other parts of the country to feel treated fairly, enjoy school, have access to activities in their local area and believe they can make a difference on issues that matter to them.
Karen Clark, Elected Mayor of North Tyneside, said: “We have always been clear about our ambition to give every child and young person the best start in life, and the findings of this report reflect the dedication and collective effort of organisations in our borough to do just that.
“I am delighted to see recognition of the support available for some of our most vulnerable children and young people, as well as the positive experiences children themselves report about growing up here in North Tyneside.
“There’s always more we can do, but these findings show that we are doing all we can to make out borough a place where children can thrive, where they feel supported and where they have access to opportunities.
“We will always be ambitious for every child and young person in our borough and will continue to build on these fantastic foundations.”
The findings support the Council’s ambition to make North Tyneside the best place to grow up, where children and young people are safe, healthy, supported to achieve and able to fulfil their potential.
North Tyneside achieved an overall score of 672 out of 960, making it the highest-performing authority in the North East.