Wellbeing

• Children’s happiness ‘declining’, charity finds

  The well-being of children is as low as it was 20 years ago, according to an alarming new report from a children’s charity.

  

• Getting physical

  Andy Howell explains how active healthier lifestyles are being driven by urban renewal in Slough.

  

• Can local government lead the world?

  Liz Zeidler explains why a new system has been launched to measure 'true' progress and prosperity.

  

• Most children in care believe it has improved their lives, survey reveals

  Children in care are more likely to feel safe than those in the general population, according to a new study.

  

• Council approves plan for new children and family hubs

  Medway Council in Kent has rubber stamped plans to shut six children's centres in a bid to remodel the service and save an estimated £1.6m.

  

• New ‘wellbeing indicators’ to help councils understand their residents published

  Councils will now be able to tailor their services to residents’ needs by drawing on a wide-ranging set of data concerning ‘wellbeing’.

  

• 1957 ‘happiest’ year of the twentieth century, study reveals

  The Victorian’s were ‘happier’ than we are today and 1957 was the ‘happiest’ year of the twentieth century, new research into the relationship between happiness and public policy reveals.

  

• Rural areas suffer ‘patchy’ service provision

  Rural communities are suffering due to the ‘patchy’ provision of key services, a ‘worrying’ new report reveals.

  

• Late intervention costing councils £6.4bn a year finds research

  It costs local councils £6.4bn a year to deal with damaging social problems affecting children and their families, new research has revealed.

  

• Are STPs achievable?

  Mike Gill considers whether Sustainability and Transformation Plans can actually be delivered in such a short timeframe.