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Poverty
There are currently 3.7 million children living in poverty in the UK. That’s over a quarter of all children. 1.7 million of these children are living in severe poverty. In the UK 63% of children living in poverty are in a family where someone works. Barnardo’s, Jan 2016 Four in ten babies don’t develop the strong emotional bonds – what psychologists call “secure attachment” – with their parents that are crucial to success later in life. Disadvantaged children are more likely to face educational and behavioural problems when they grow older as a result – Sutton Trust, Baby Bonds Report, 2014 Children and adults from the lowest quintile (20 per cent) of household income are three times more likely to have common mental health problems (than those in the richest quintile) - Centre for Social Justice Report, Feb 2011 The consistent thread running through our analysis of the problems associated with, for example, family breakdown, housing, looked-after children asylum seeking and the criminal justice system, is the high level of mental ill-health in our poorest and most disadvantaged communities. It is a key barrier to their transformation and to the unlocking of potential in young and old alike.” 
Work/Life Balance Workers in the UK currently work the longest hours in Europe, take the shortest lunch breaks and enjoy the fewest public holidays. Childcare is expensive and difficult to find, care for older people is of inconsistent quality and financial support during family-related leave is lower than in some other parts of Europe. TUC, Jan 2016 Mental Health/Stress In England, women are more likely than men to have a common mental health problem and are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders. In 2013, 6,233 suicides were recorded in the UK for people aged 15 and older. Of these, 78%were male and 22% were female. 10% of mothers and 6% of fathers in the UK have mental health problems at any given time. 17.01.16 Mental Health Foundation https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk Teacher Stress
A 2015 survey of 3,500 members of the NASUWT teaching union revealed that two-thirds of the respondents had considered quitting the profession in the past year. Workload was the top concern, with 89% citing this as a problem, followed by pay (45%), inspection (44%), curriculum reform (42%), and pupil behaviour (40%) In addition: 83% had reported workplace stress 67% said their job has adversely impacted their mental or physical health Almost half of the three thousand respondents reported they had seen a doctor because of work-related mental or physical health problems 5% had been hospitalised, and 2% said they had self-harmed. Almost three quarters (73%) of trainee and newly qualified teachers (NQTs) have considered leaving the profession, according to a 2015 survey by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers. Almost eight in 10 (79%) of the 889 students and NQTs surveyed by the union said they did not feel that they had a good work-life balance and the amount of work they were expected to do was the most common reason for disliking their jobs. |
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