Child Health Profiles provide a snapshot of child health and well-being for each local authority in England using key health indicators, which enables comparison locally, regionally and nationally.
Key findings for Somerset:
- Around 23% of the population of Somerset is under the age of 20.
-
The health and well-being of children in Somerset
is mixed compared with the England
average. The infant mortality rate is similar to the England
average and the child mortality rate is better than the England
average.
-
The level of child poverty is better than the England average
with 16% of children aged under 16 years living in poverty.
-
9% of children in Reception and 17% of children in Year 6
are classified as obese. 51% of children participate in at least three hours of
sport a week which is worse than the England average.
-
The hospital admission rate for substance misuse is similar
to the England
average. The percentage of children who say they use drugs is higher than the England average.
-
GCSE achievement is lower than the England
average. The percentage of young people aged 16 to 18 not
in education, employment or training is lower than the England
average.