“That was the best day of my life”
Understanding the transformational importance of experiences and opportunities for disadvantaged children in Worthing
The disadvantage gap
In 2024/25, 4.5 million children, or 31% of children in the UK are living in poverty, a figure that has been rising in recent years. A comprehensive understanding of disadvantage encompasses not only income poverty, but also a lack of social and cultural capital and control over decisions that affect children and young people’s life outcomes.
Children living in poverty in the UK
In the UK disadvantaged children start school behind their more advantaged peers, and the gap in performance widens as they progress through the education system. A key element in this is the home learning environment where it is known that the extent to which children read with their parents, sing songs, play games and go on educational visits, is crucial for the development of skills that determine not only school attainment but a good deal more.
Double the proportion of advantaged seven-year-olds participated in sports and other clubs compared with their disadvantaged peers, and 26% of advantaged 11-year-olds took music lessons compared to 6% of disadvantaged children. This has a number of impacts on those children who are considered ‘advantaged’, including greater social capital and social networks and a greater understanding of the norms and institutions that shape social interaction in a community. It means greater access to green space and after school programmes and other activities that promote healthy child development. It also impacts sense of belonging, which is one of the most important determinants of whether a child decides to enter, continue or abandon a pursuit.
Those children and young people who experience less opportunity can come to have a reduced sense of aspiration and belief in what is possible for them. Research suggests that supported opportunity and high expectations allow children and young people a sense of control over their lives. Many children living with disadvantage lack not only opportunities, but the ability to take advantage of the opportunities that do present themselves. Some do not have the support from people around them to be able to link the opportunities and experiences that they do have to develop their own understanding of themselves in a way that allows them to develop confidence.
26% of advantaged 11-year-olds took music lessons
Compared to 6% of disadvantaged 11-year-olds took music lessons
With the above challenges in mind, a group of primary schools in Worthing created a pilot project called Shine Worthing. This involved developing a list of key local activities and opportunities that all children in their schools, regardless of disadvantage, should have the opportunity to do. Shine Worthing (Supporting Happiness in New Experiences) is a pilot project for a future Worthing-wide scheme in partnership with schools, businesses and community groups to support the life skills, local experiences and opportunities for the most disadvantaged children and young people in Worthing.
Over 700 children were supported to access a range of sporting, leisure, cultural, heritage and nature-focussed experiences and opportunities, most for the first time.
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Dr Carl Walker
Head of Societal Insights SOCIETAL INSIGHTS TEAM
Dr Carl Walker is a chartered psychologist with over 25 years’ experience in academia, community engagement, community coproduction of wellbeing services and infrastructure, local authority strategic development and industry. Having arrived at Hoare Lea in 2024, Carl is working on a number of projects to bring a human and community-centric understanding to our approach. Carl is part of the Social and Human Value service alongside the Societal Insights Unit.
Carl is a community psychologist, a member of the British Psychological Society National Community Psychology Section committee and a visiting lecturer at the University of Brighton. His work involves leading action research projects on community wellbeing and coproducing community initiatives to address mental health and wellbeing needs.
He has used a range of social science methodologies to engage in collaborative, multi-stakeholder initiatives in the fields of health, mental health and wellbeing, disability, care and social infrastructure. He has published widely in the field of mental health and community activism with 9 books and over 70 peer reviewed publications .
Start a conversation: CarlWalker@hoarelea.com