There are over 130,000 children and young people aged 0-19 in North Yorkshire - and this number is growing. Most North Yorkshire children already get a good start in life, but in a large and diverse county, there are still some who don’t experience all the good things we would hope for. This may be for a range of reasons such as rural isolation, poverty, urban deprivation, disability or family breakdown.
We need to make sure that these children’s needs are spotted early and that they and their families receive the help they need from birth. It’s vital that every child has an excellent education to maximise their life chances - we know that this is a major factor in health and wellbeing throughout life. That includes a positive, safe experience throughout school and college as well as wider educational work to encourage children and young people to make healthy choices about their lifestyle.
Emotional and mental health and wellbeing is important at all ages. We need to support children and young people to be mentally and emotionally healthy. This doesn’t just mean the 16,000 or so under-19s who have a recognised mental health disorder. We know that low selfesteem and anxiety can make daily life difficult, and we want to make sure every young person has a source of help when they need it.
