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State of children in Suffolk
About this profile
It covers social, economic, cultural, and behavioural factors influencing health, to help organisations plan, prioritise and deliver services that improve outcomes and reduce inequalities for Suffolk’s children and young people.
The profile looks at the collective needs of Suffolk's children and young people rather than individual cases.
- Geographic areas: the 0-19 population, and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) requiring an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) up to the age of 25
- School communities
- Specific groups such as looked after children, young carers, or refugee children and families.
This report provides an evidence base for developing targeted interventions, service improvements, and collaborative strategies with partners across education, social services, and communities.
What type of report is this?
This is a profile document. A profile is a one-off analysis of specific data on a given subject, usually in response to a specific request for information. It should be used as an overview of the subject, rather than a comprehensive examination of the health needs of a population.
The accordion sections expand to summarise the key points from each topic within the report, and there are links below to the complete chapters.
How recent is the data?
The State of Children in Suffolk was first published in 2022, and is currently being updated with information from the profile produced in August 2024. We used the most up-to-date information available at the time of writing.
State of children in Suffolk sections
- On 31st March 2024, there were 3,737 children in need in Suffolk. The rate of children in need had been increasing in Suffolk in recent years but fell for 2024: the current rate of 248.5 (per 10,000 children aged under 18) is the lowest it has been locally since 2019. The current rate in Suffolk remains lower than the England rate (332.9 per 10,000), and below the rate for its statistical neighbours (300.6 per 10,000).
- There were 373 children in Suffolk who were subject to a child protection plan on 31st March 2024. The current rate of 24.8 child protection plans in Suffolk (per 10,000 children aged under 18) is the lowest it has been locally since 2015. The current rate in Suffolk remains lower than England (41.6 per 10,000), and Suffolk’s statistical neighbours (38.8 per 10,000).
- Neglect (73.2%) was the most common initial category of abuse recorded for children on child protection plans in Suffolk. This proportion is significantly higher (statistically) than the England average of 49.8%. The second most common category was “emotional abuse” – 22.1% of child protection plans in Suffolk, statistically significantly lower than England (37.3%).
- There were 930 children in care (CIC) in Suffolk on 31st March 2024. Since 2015, the rate of children in care in Suffolk has steadily increased, but the current rate of 62.0 (per 10,000 children aged under 18) is a drop to 2022 levels. The current rate in Suffolk is lower than England (70 per 10,000) and Suffolk’s statistical neighbours (69.4 per 10,000). The Suffolk rate is affected by numbers of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children: unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are a statistically significantly higher percentage of looked after children in Suffolk than England, and similar to Suffolk’s statistical neighbours.
- Most CIC in Suffolk had a recorded primary need of “abuse or neglect” – 72.6% (675 children). This is statistically significantly higher than England. “Absent parenting” was the second highest group (11.3%), statistically significantly higher than England (8.7%).
- Of the 157 care leavers aged 17-18 in Suffolk in 2023, 89.0% were in suitable accommodation. 86.0% (395) of care leavers aged 19-21 years old were in suitable accommodation.
- 57.7% of 157 care leavers aged 17-18 in Suffolk were in education, employment, or training in 2023, statistically significantly lower than England (66.0%). Of 470 Suffolk care leavers aged 19-21, 53.0% were in education, employment, or training, statistically significantly lower than England (56.0%).
- In 2023/24, 18.0% of all Suffolk pupils (20,268) either required special educational needs (SEN) support or had an EHC plan. There are also 101 children with EHC plans in elective home education. Although increasing, the current proportion in Suffolk remains significantly lower (statistically) than England.
- The top five most common primary needs among pupils receiving either type of SEND support in Suffolk in 2020/21 were: speech, language, and communication needs (21.3%, statistically significantly lower than England: 24.0%); social, emotional, and mental health needs (18.7%, statistically significantly lower than England: 20.5%); autism (14.9%, statistically similar to England 15.4%); specific learning difficulties (14.5%, statistically significantly higher than England 11.4%); moderate learning difficulties (10.2% statistically significantly lower than England 13.9%); other difficulties or disabilities (6.2%, statistically significantly higher than England 3.3%).
- The 2023/24 School Census records 2,223 pupils in Suffolk as being young carers. Compared to England, Suffolk has statistically significantly higher percentages of children recorded as young carers in state-funded primary, secondary and special schools.
Updated December 2024
- Communities are often regarded as geographical, where a group of people live in the same place. However, communities can also be centred around a specific social, leisure, economic or health activity, need, or interest, and where groups of people share the same characteristics, attitudes, or interests.
- For children and young people, the first experience of community is usually the family unit into which they are born and raised, and the locality in which they grow up. Nursery and school also offer a sense of community, as do after school clubs and membership of a sports team or other common interest groups.
- Resilient communities have an important role in action on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). ACEs have been found to have lifelong impacts on health and behaviour and they are relevant to all sectors and involve all of us in society.
- Not all communities are beneficial to children and young people’s well-being, even though they may provide a sense of identity or belonging. ‘Unhealthy’ communities are those that do not provide children and young people with a safe environment in which to grow and develop successfully and may leave them feeling lonely and disconnected from the world around them.
- In instances where a child has grown up in an unhealthy family environment for example, a sense of belonging may be achieved by contact and involvement with groups/communities that may exploit that child/young person, for example, county lines.
- The health-protecting and health-harming factors of communities are not equally distributed, with those living in deprived areas less likely to experience the positive benefits that communities can offer. In addition, they are more likely to experience the negative aspects of communities.
- The Youth Focus Programme in Suffolk recognises the crucial role people within local communities – shopkeepers, youth workers, sports coaches, neighbours – have in supporting local young people to develop a sense of belonging as well as encouraging them to aspire, thrive and grow.
Updated December 2024
- There are nearly 102,000 pupils in state-funded primary and secondary schools in Suffolk in 2020/21. In addition, there are 1,300 pupils under special school provision, and approximately 170 in pupil referral units.
- In 2018/19, 70.7% of pupils in Suffolk achieved a good level of development by the end of Reception Year (first year of primary school), which is significantly lower (statistically) than the national average of 71.8%. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more recent data may not be comparable.
- At the end of Key Stage 2 (last year of primary school), 62% of pupils in Suffolk met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2018/19, which is significantly lower (statistically) than the national average of 65%. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more recent data may not be comparable.
- In 2018/19, 39% of pupils in Suffolk achieved a good pass in English and maths in their GCSEs, whilst 61.9% achieved a standard pass. Both of these are significantly lower (statistically) than the England averages of 43.4% for a good pass and 64.9% for a standard pass. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more recent data may not be comparable.
- 76.5% of students in Suffolk achieved at least 2 A-levels in 2018/19 compared with 80% nationally; 8.7% achieved 3 A*-A grades or better (10.8% in England); 16% achieved AAB grades or better (18.4% in England). 81% of students in Suffolk achieved at least 2 substantial Level 3 qualifications (84.7% nationally). All four measures are significantly lower (statistically) in Suffolk compared with England. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more recent data may not be comparable.
- In 2020/21, 4% of 16-18 year olds in Suffolk were not in education, employment or training (NEET). Locally, this means there were 886 children and young people that were NEET in 2020/21.
- Almost 1 in 4 people in Suffolk (24.8%) had an undergraduate degree or higher compared with 1 in 3 (33.1%) nationally in 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more recent data may not be comparable.
- In 2020/21, around 2 in 3 16-24 year olds (67.6%) were economically active in Suffolk (59.8% in England), whilst 1 in 3 (32.4%) were economically inactive (40.2% in England). Just over half (53.7%) of 16-24 year olds were in employment in Suffolk in 2020/21, slightly higher than the England average of 51%.
- Across Suffolk, the greatest levels of deprivation on the Children and Young People sub-domain are around Mildenhall, Newmarket, Haverhill, Glemsford, Sudbury, Bury St Edmunds, Stanton, Stowmarket, Ipswich, Felixstowe, Leiston, Reydon, Bungay, and Lowestoft. Additional hotspots of deprivation on the Adult Skills sub-domain include areas around Hundon, which is close to Haverhill.
- In 2017, Ipswich, Forest Heath (West Suffolk), Babergh, and Waveney (East Suffolk) were ranked in the worst 20% of local authorities for social mobility, which indicates that people from disadvantaged backgrounds in these areas were least likely to make social progress. This data has not been updated since 2017.
- Feeling safe is not just about physical safety, but also the mental and emotional safety of children and young people. It is about an environment around the child that allows them to grow, develop and express themselves with confidence and assurance.
- Bullying affects children and young people’s emotional well-being. Around a third (30%) of children in Suffolk have experienced bullying. Children and young people who are seen as “different” seem more likely to be targeted – for example, 62% of young people who describe their ethnic background as “Arab”, and 52% of young people who were in care or had been in care.
- In England and Wales, younger adults (aged 16 – 24) are statistically significantly more likely than people of all ages to perceive the following as problems in their local area: high level of anti-social behaviour, people using or dealing drugs, litter or rubbish, people being drunk or rowdy, teenagers hanging around, vandalism and graffiti. They are also more likely to change their behaviour as a result of feeling unsafe.
- The rate of first time entrants in Suffolk to the youth justice system fell in 2023 to 103.3 per 100,00 10 to 17 year olds (n=72). This is now significantly lower (better) than England and than Suffolk in 2022.
- In 2023 49.4% (42) referrals of potential victims of modern slavery were for children or young people aged 17 or under. This is statistically similar to England (43.8%).
- A family’s housing situation can also make children feel unsafe. In Suffolk, households with dependent children were statistically significantly more likely to live in private rented (or lives rent free) and social rented accommodation than those without dependent children (Census 2021). In Suffolk, households with people aged 24 or under were statistically significantly more likely to be over-occupied: 11.3% of households with someone aged 24 and under were over-occupied compared to 3.1% of all households in Suffolk.
Updated December 2024
- Most people who experience mental ill health as adults had a first episode before the age of 24. Mental ill health in childhood can affect educational attainment and socialisation, further impacting adult life.
- In 2021, in England, one in six (17.4%) of both 6 to 16 year olds and 17 to 19 year olds were likely to have a probable mental disorder, an increase (worsening) compared to 2017. This would suggest that, in 2021, around 21,000 children and young people in Suffolk (aged 6-19) had a probable mental health disorder. National survey data suggests hyperactivity and behavioural disorders are more prevalent in boys and young men, while girls and young women are more likely to experience emotional disorders.
- Pre-pandemic national prevalence figures suggest that around 10,140 (between 9,050-11,500) children and young people aged 5-19 in Suffolk could have an emotional disorder (including anxiety, depression, bipolar).
- Healthwatch Suffolk report that Suffolk young people’s wellbeing outcomes consistently appear poorer (lower) than national averages.
- Suffolk emergency hospital admissions for self-harm in young people (aged 10-24 years) are significantly worse than the England rates, and the Suffolk trend is worsening (increasing). Ipswich and East Suffolk CCG, and Norfolk and Waveney CCG have rates significantly higher than England (West Suffolk CCG is statistically similar to England).
- Children and young people with a mental disorder are more likely to be bullied and to bully others (online and in person).
- Suffolk young people who identify as LGBT*Q+ tend to experience poorer wellbeing.
- Children and young people with additional vulnerabilities (including having a mental health difficulty, receiving free school meals, being a carer or with experience of being in care) are more likely to report low resilience and lower wellbeing.
- Suffolk has a statistically significantly higher percentage of babies who have a first feed of breast milk than England, and a statistically significantly lower rate of hospital admissions for babies aged under 14 days (this is often linked to problems with feeding). However, breastfeeding prevalence at 6-8 weeks is statistically significantly lower (worse) than England.
- Childhood immunisation data indicates Suffolk achieves the lower threshold of 90% coverage for all key immunisations for children aged five and under. Population vaccination coverage is significantly similar or higher (better) than England for all childhood vaccines and immunisations. However, more needs to be done to meet the World Health Organisation target of 95% coverage which provides protection to wider society and can lead to disease elimination.
- Asthma is the most common long-term condition among children and young people, with over 8,500 in Suffolk estimated to have the condition in 2023. Emergency hospital admissions for asthma in children aged 0-9 are statistically significantly higher (worse) than England.
- Emergency hospital admissions for diabetes in children and young people (under 19) for Suffolk have improved and are significantly similar to England.
- Around one in five (21.5%) Reception Year children in Suffolk are overweight or obese, statistically similar to England (22.1%)
- A statistically significantly lower (better) percentage of children in Year 6 in Suffolk are overweight or obese compared to England (35.8%). However, over a third (34.1%) of Suffolk students aged 10-11 are above the recommended healthy weight.
- Suffolk appears to be performing better than England for oral health, for example, in 2021-22, 13.4% of 5 year olds had "experience of visually obvious dental decay", statistically significantly better (lower) than England (23.7%).
- Suffolk emergency hospital admissions for babies under one year and children aged 0-4 years are significantly higher (worse) than England, although A&E attendances for children and young people under one and 0-4 are statistically significantly lower (better); rates of admission for unintentional and deliberate injures in 0-4 and 0-14 year olds are also lower (better).
(updated November 2024)
Understanding how many children and young people live in Suffolk is vital when it comes to planning and providing services such as care for newborn babies, nursery places, education, apprenticeships, housing, and transport. Similarly, the health and wellbeing needs of local children and young people cannot be fully met or measured without first knowing how many there are, where they live, how many may need extra support, and how many there may be in the coming years. Information about the population of children and young people in Suffolk should be used to help improve access to services, as well as helping reduce differences in health outcomes between those who have the best and poorest health.
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With a total population of 768,555 as of mid-2022, Suffolk has a lower proportion of children and young people aged 0-24 (26.0%) compared to the national average of 29.1%.
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Projections indicate a 1.9% decrease in this age group (aged 0-24) by 2043, despite an overall population growth of 6.5%.
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The county's demographic profile shows less ethnic diversity among children and young people compared to England, with less than 1 in 5 (17.1%) from non-White British backgrounds compared to 1 in 3 (32.9%) nationally.
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Ethnic diversity varies significantly across the county, with Ipswich having the highest proportion (32.6%) of young people from ethnic minority groups.
(updated 2024)
- COVID-19 restrictions have affected the provision of 0 to 19 services, necessitating virtual contacts or the suspension of some services. Developmental delays, perinatal mental health issues, safeguarding concerns, or the detection of early warning signs of vulnerability may require enhanced risk management processes and caseload assessments to prioritise families with greater needs.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing challenges, with evidence showing multiple service professionals reporting significant impacts on school readiness, particularly in areas such as personal development and communication skills, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address these pandemic-related setbacks.
Engagement with children and young people during the pandemic
- Whilst COVID-19 restrictions led to some positive experiences (such as spending more time with carers), young people also reported a range of negative experiences including missing family and friends, increased arguments at home, and concerns about the health of loved ones.
- Anxiety, fear, worry and poor mental health were common in the feedback from children and young people during the pandemic.
- Children and young people were concerned about the impact of the lockdowns on their future. However, lockdowns also gave some young people time to reflect and reconsider what was important to them. This included study or career choices, as well as religious belief and personal identity.
(updated 2024)
My Health, Our Future
Healthwatch Suffolk conducted phase 7 of the My Health, Our Future (MHOF) survey in 2023, analysing the wellbeing of more than 13,000 young people (primarily high school and college students between Years 7-13) in Suffolk.
Mental wellbeing and anxiety
- Young people's wellbeing in Suffolk has improved from record lows in 2021-2022 but remains below the national average
- 29% of students who described their gender other than male or female, and 19% of LGBTQ+ students had low wellbeing scores
- 37% of students reported moderate to severe anxiety levels, higher among females (47%), LGBTQ+ (62%), and those with additional support needs (54%)
Cost of living Impact
- 24% were worried/very worried about the rising cost of living impacting them and their families
- Top concerns were affording social activities (26%), school trips (25%), and having proper technology/uniform
Healthy lifestyles
- 12% of students vape, higher among females (12% vs 8% males), those with additional needs (16%), and certain ethnic groups
- Only 17% of year 9+ students were aware of the local sexual health service provided at the time of survey (called iCaSH)
The My Health, Our Future report highlights several areas where additional support is required, such as increasing mental health awareness, providing counselling, improving relationship/sex education, and ensuring access to nutritious food and extracurricular activities. Findings from MHOF can inform strategies to enhance young people's wellbeing in Suffolk (Healthwatch Suffolk 2023).
Find out more about My Health, Our Future by visiting the dedicated pages on the Healthwatch Suffolk website.
(updated 2024)
Links to each State of Children in Suffolk paper
- Children and Young People Who May Need Extra SupportPDF1.01MB
- Community - State of children in SuffolkPDF273KB
- Education, skills and trainingPDF966KB
- Feeling safe - State of children in Suffolk (2022)PDF477KB
- Impact of COVID-19 - State of Children in Suffolk (2022)PDF862KB
- Mental health - State of Children in Suffolk (2022)PDF788KB
- Physical health - State of Children in SuffolkPDF998KB
- Population and families PDF1.12MB