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Information about the publication
Focus on children offers an insight into the lives of the children in contemporary UK society. It includes information on their characteristics, experiences, wellbeing and lifestyle looked at from the child's perspective wherever possible. Children are mainly defined as those aged 16 and under, however in some cases other age breakdowns are used.
The proportion of the UK population aged under 16 has fallen since the early 1970s and in the last 10 years, the number of dependent children living in married couple families has also fallen. The proportion of three and four-year-olds enrolled in early years education has risen over the past three decades. More and more children are overweight or obese and the majority of children aged 15 reported they had drunk alcohol. On the nation's roads children are killed and seriously injured. Traffic danger was the most common reason given by parents for accompanying their children to school. Children aged under 16 were the victims of nearly one in ten killings in England and Wales in 2007/08.
Children's pocket money continues to rise, with their largest expenditure being recreation and culture. New technology is popular among children with preference for the Internet and mobile phone increasing with age. The most common leisure activity performed in their free time was spending time with friends.
List of annual publications
Child population falls
6 percentage points since 1971
Fewer children live in married couple families
Two thirds of 3 and 4-year-olds
go to school
Over half of children live in working households
3 out of 10 children are overweight or obese
Fall in number of children injured or killed on roads
Average pocket money is £4.80 per child
Preference for Internet and mobile phones increase with age
A fall in children entering the Youth Justice System
Time with friends popular with 9 out of 10 children
Further analysis links
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