‘Fear of failure’ casts shadow over Britain’s teenagers

A “FEAR of failure” could be behind British teenagers feeling the least satisfied with their lives across Europe, a report has found.

The Children’s Society said that 15-year-olds in the UK reported the lowest levels of life satisfaction and the greatest fear of failure across 24 European countries.

The charity’s annual Good Childhood Report examined data from a survey by the Programme for International Assessment (PISA), conducted in 2018.

The UK also ranked last for children’s overall sense of purpose, with just over two in five (43 per cent) saying they felt their life lacked clear meaning or purpose. It also had the second highest levels of sadness, behind Malta.

Mark Russell, the charity’s chief executive, said modern life has been “chipping away at our children’s happiness” over the past decade. He said:

“We need action and for the Government to provide long-term investment to stop this toxic trend.

“As we emerge from the coronavirus crisis and children return to the classroom, we must hit the restart button.”

Richard Crellin, the charity’s policy manager, added: “As a society, we put significant amounts of pressure on our children to succeed, especially at school, and this has consequences for wellbeing.

“It is therefore vital that we rethink what it means to fail and to succeed. An educational culture which tells children they only have ‘one shot’ at success in school places unnecessary pressure on young people. Learning should be a lifelong endeavour and not something that feeds fear and distress.”

The Children’s Society said the pandemic may have further affected children’s happiness. It warned that any response must distinguish between fluctuations in wellbeing related to Covid-19 and more longer-term trends.