[continued from previous message] 
  
 health and safety. Britain found itself ranked second behind Sweden as 
 the place where children are least likely to die in an accident. 
 However, this good performance was marred by the UK's relatively high 
 infant mortality and low birthweight rates. The UK also fared poorly 
 when it came to the percentage of children aged 12 months to 23 months 
 immunised against the major vaccine-preventable disease. It was ranked 
 in the bottom third. 
  
 12th 
  
 Poverty & inequality 
  
 Despite being the fifth largest economy, Britain was ranked 18th for 
 material well- being, beating only Ireland, Hungary and Poland. When it 
 came to the number of children living in households where income was 
 less than 50% of the national median, the UK beat only the US. British 
 children were also among the most likely to have a jobless parent and in 
 the bottom third for homes with fewer than 10 books. 
  
 18th 
  
 Sex, drink & drugs 
  
 The UK easily outstripped all other countries when it came to bad and 
 risky behaviour. British children were more likely to have been drunk or 
 had sex than those of any other country. The UK also had the second 
 highest teenage fertility rate. British teenagers were much more likely 
 to be involved in a fight in the past 12 months than other nationalities 
 and more likely to have been bullied. 
  
 Last 
  
 'I feel like whatever I'm doing, there is someone watching me' 
  
 Leo, 14 North London 
  
 I am doing my GCSEs and am under a huge amount of pressure from my 
 teachers and parents to do well. There is a lot of coursework to 
 complete and I am always being nagged to do things like homework clubs 
 and revision tests. The other thing that annoys me about my situation is 
 that I feel that whatever I am doing, there is always somebody watching 
 over me - the only times I feel that I can let go is when I am talking 
 to my friends at school or when I am playing sports. 
  
 Chris, 10 Glasgow 
  
 I live in a rehabilitation centre - it's where people come to get 
 better, where they can get off drugs and become themselves again. There 
 are 300 toilets here. It's my mum who's coming off the drugs. I think 
 that my mum is in now care because she could not cope with me and my 
 twin brothers and my sister... who takes ages doing her hair. She [my 
 mum] didn't have any money for school clothes... the reason my mum took 
 drugs is because she was always asleep, sometimes she did not look well 
 and was being sick, but that is just life. 
  
 Will, 15 Harrow 
  
 My biggest fear is getting mugged, but it is something you have to live 
 with. When you go into town, especially on your own, and there are large 
 groups hanging around it can be scary. Most of the time they get away 
 with it... you get a few kicks to the face and they take your mobile or 
 a couple of pounds. My younger brother was mugged. They stole his MP3 
 player and a few of my friends were mugged as well. One of them took a 
 few punches and got a couple of kicks. And there have been a few 
 attempted muggings. Being out in a group doesn't mean you won't get 
 mugged either. 
  
 Stephen, 16 Cheshire 
  
 We're pretty lucky around here when it comes to poverty but we've done 
 some projects which makes you realise how little some other people of my 
 age have. For them, a room of their own would be an unbelievable thing, 
 which I take for granted. I'm not surprised to hear that other countries 
 in Europe are better when it comes to their attitudes to children and I 
 think a lot of the headlines about hoodies has made older people, in 
 particular, think we have got nothing to offer and that we are something 
 to worry about. 
  
 Sadhia, 17 Middlesex 
  
 Every time I pick up a newspaper or hear another TV report about 
 teenagers, it is always demonising us, rather than reflecting the 
 reality for most of us. At the end of a school day, when we sometimes go 
 shopping together, we're looked at suspiciously because we are taking up 
 so much space. People are quite judgmental about teenagers, how we look, 
 where we go, and I think it's a shame that middle-class children are 
 treated with more respect than maybe someone who's wearing a hoodie. 
  
 Ed, 17 London 
  
 I spend time regularly hanging around my estate because that is how we 
 socialise - we can't really have so many friends round to the house - 
 but we don't cause any trouble and we have a good relationship with the 
 residents. The police stop us fairly regularly, which I find irritating. 
 Two of my friends were stopped and searched by an officer, who was rude 
 and aggressive when they were doing nothing wrong. I have been stopped 
 and searched twice and asked questions four or five times. 
  
 Kelly, 15 Cheshire 
  
 We've done the Victorians at school and you'd think that there wouldn't 
 be lots of children in poverty any more. I think the Government is 
 saying it wants everyone to have the same opportunities but I'm aware of 
 how many children don't have them. I don't think people my age think 
 there's any way of changing things through the Government. Politics is a 
 bit of a switch-off and I never pay much attention to it. But that's 
 supposed to be the way of stopping poverty - voting for changes through 
 your MP. 
  
 Helena, 16 North Yorkshire 
  
 Most teenagers do drink, but it depends where they do it. I think it's 
 silly to drink standing on a street, and I understand that this can be 
 intimidating for adults. But it's difficult for us because not 
 everyone's doing this, although people are going to pick up on the worst 
 cases. 
  
 Samarra, 11 Hull 
  
 I have one leg shorter than the other so I have to wear a built-up shoe. 
 I can run but I always come last. I've got a younger brother and an 
 older sister with cerebral palsy. Mum is on income support. To get 
 things like new wheelchairs you have fill out a lot of forms. And 
 there's a lot of debt. At Christmas we look down the lists and if it is 
 too expensive, we're a bit poor, and it goes to next year. It would be 
 good if we had some money. What I would say to other children is 
 appreciate what you've got." 
  
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