European Childhoods: An Overview

Abstract

The publication by UNICEF (2007) of a report comparing children’s welfare in 21 Western states has triggered an important debate about children and their childhood in different countries. Whilst attracting some criticism as a consequence of the subjective nature of the data on which some of the judgements are made, the report nonetheless has enormous symbolic value, drawing attention as it does to apparently significant differences in the physical and emotional well-being of children. In making comparisons between the daily lives of children based on six dimensions of welfare, which highlight major disparities within Europe — with the Netherlands appearing at the top of the league (followed closely by Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Spain, Switzerland and Norway) and the UK at the bottom — it provides an important and timely context in which to begin to ask questions about the political, cultural and social factors that underpin the construction of such different childhoods within Europe.