Cambridgeshire misses top 20 for childhood outcomes despite low deprivation

Cambridgeshire has failed to make the top 20 places in England for childhood outcomes, despite being one of the country's least deprived areas, according to a new report from the Children's Commissioner.

The Childhood Lottery, published by the Children's Commissioner for England, examines how where a child lives can influence their education, health, safety, family life and access to essential services.

The report brings together 162 measures of children's lives, including school attendance, educational achievement, mental health provision, housing, policing and children's social care. These are used to assess the challenges facing children across local authority areas in England.

Although Cambridgeshire is identified as the second least deprived local authority area in England, it failed to make the top 20 places where childhood is considered least challenging.

The Children's Commissioner highlighted several concerns affecting the county, including delays in issuing Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for children with special educational needs and disabilities, instability in school placements for children in care, and poor recording of children's vulnerabilities by police.

The findings suggest that even in relatively prosperous areas, children and families can experience difficulties accessing timely support and consistent services.

How does Cambridgeshire compare with neighbouring areas?

The report reveals considerable differences across the region.

Central Bedfordshire, which includes Sandy, Biggleswade and Potton, was ranked joint ninth among the least challenging places in England to grow up, scoring 677 out of a possible 960 points.

In contrast, Peterborough was ranked the sixth most challenging local authority area for children, with a score of just 477.

Cambridgeshire, covering St Neots, Huntingdon, St Ives and surrounding villages, did not appear in either the 20 highest or 20 lowest scoring areas. Bedford Borough was also absent from both lists.

The rankings are based on upper-tier local authority boundaries rather than individual towns, meaning the report does not provide separate scores for St Neots, Huntingdon or Bedford.

The Children's Commissioner also stresses that the findings are not simply a measure of council performance, as factors such as poverty, policing and healthcare provision can fall outside a council's direct control.

Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza

A postcode lottery for children

Nationally, the report found that more than one million children had active referrals to children and young people's mental health services during 2024–25.

It also revealed that 55% of pupils did not achieve grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSEs, while 12% of children surveyed said they did not feel safe in their local area.

Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza has warned that these differences demonstrate how a child's postcode can significantly influence their opportunities and access to support.

She is calling for greater accountability, minimum standards for children's services and the creation of a national Children's Emergency Fund to improve provision where outcomes fall below acceptable levels.

Table: The least challenging places to be a child