Children and young people
Supporting and improving life chances for children and young people is key to the future of Wiltshire. Ensuring that our children and young people are safe and healthy, and that families have access to services that meet their individual needs at an early stage, are crucial to making sure every child and young person has the best possible start in life.
Wiltshire is a relatively healthy and affluent area and outcomes for most children and young people are generally good compared to outcomes across England. The indicators in this section provide a profile of the young people in Wiltshire's different community areas, and include measures such as academic achievement, youth crime, self harm and mental health support, domestic abuse, and childhood obesity.
The CAJSNA information is primarily shown in interactive charts. These allow the user to hover over them and show extra detail within a tooltip, as well as the ability to remove indicators by deselecting them from the legend.
People aged 0-24 years
In the 2021 Census, Wiltshire’s population aged between 0-24 years old stood at 137,064 persons. This is equivalent to just over a quarter (27%) of the total population.
The proportion of persons aged 0-24 years within each of Wiltshire's community areas, and the number of people in each 5 year age band within this group, are provided in the two charts below.
Definition: Census data published at Output Area (OA) level and assigned to Area Board based on the location of the OA's population-weighted centroid. Proportion of population aged 0-24 years old, and numbers of children and young people aged 0-24 years by five-year age band.
Data source and time period: Office for National Statistics, 2021 Census. Table RM121: Sex by age. March 2021.
Pupils eligible for free school meals
The Education Act 1996 requires schools and academies maintained by the local authority as well as free schools to provide free school meals to eligible pupils. Pupils are eligible to receive free school meals if they or their parents are in receipt of one or more specified benefits. As of May 2023, 16% of pupils in Wiltshire were eligible for free schools meals.
The chart below shows the proportion of pupils aged 4-18 years who are eligible for free school meals in each of Wiltshire's community areas as of May 2023.
Definition: Pupils aged 4 (reception year) to 18 (year group 13) attending a Wiltshire state maintained school eligible for free school meals as a percentage of the total cohort. All pupils in key stage 1 and the early years foundation stage are able to receive a free school lunch, but only those in families in receipt of the specified benefit(s) are counted as "eligible for free school meals". Pupils are classified geographically by their home address.
Data source and time period: Children's Performance, Outcomes and Quality Assurance Team, Wiltshire Council. School Census 2023. May 2023.
Pupils with special educational needs (SEN) provided with SEN support or an education, health and care plan (EHCP)
Special educational needs (SEN) can affect a child or young person’s ability to learn. The term SEN covers a wide range of needs including behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, speech, language and communication, hearing and/or visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and autism. Pupils with special educational needs can be supported either by direct SEN support (provided in school) or, for pupils with more complex needs, through the provision of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
In the May 2023 school census, 14.6% of pupils were noted as having SEN support, with an additional 4.8% having an Education, Health and Care Plan in Wiltshire.
The chart below shows the proportion of pupils at schools in Wiltshire that were in receipt of either SEN support or had an EHCP in place by Wiltshire community area as at May 2023.
Definition: Pupils aged 4 (reception year) to 18 (year group 13) attending a Wiltshire state maintained school who receive SEN support or have an education, health and care plan (EHCP) as percentage of the total cohort. Pupils are classified geographically by their home address.
Data source and time period: Children's Performance, Outcomes and Quality Assurance Team, Wiltshire Council. School Census 2023. May 2023.
Achieving a good level of development
Children are defined as having reached a good level of development at the end of the early years foundation stage if they have achieved the expected level in a number of early learning goals. These include mathematics and literacy, communication and language, and social, emotional and physical development.
In 2022, 66.9% of children at the early years foundation stage in Wiltshire achieved a good level of development, compared with 65.2% nationally.
42.8% of disadvantaged children in Wiltshire achieved a good level of development at the end of the early years foundation stage compared with 49.4% in England as a whole. A pupil is classified by the Department for Education as being disadvantaged if they are either currently eligible for free school meals or have been within the last 6 years, are looked after or have left care through a formal route such as adoption.
Special educational needs (SEN) can affect a child or young person’s ability to learn. The term SEN covers a wide range of needs including behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, speech, language and communication, hearing and/or visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and autism. In 2022 in Wiltshire, 20.8% of children at the end of the early years foundation stage who were provided with either SEN support or an EHCP achieved a good level of development. Nationally, the proportion was 18.9% over the same time frame.
A breakdown of the proportion of children achieving a good level of development at the end of the early years foundation stage by Wiltshire community area is shown in the chart below.
Definition: The percentage of pupils achieving a good level of development at the end of the early years foundation stage, by total pupils, disadvantaged pupils and SEN pupils. A good level of development at the end of early years foundation stage is an assessment of children’s development at the end of the academic year in which they turn five. Pupils are classified geographically by location of school.
Data source and time period: Children's Performance, Outcomes and Quality Assurance Team, Wiltshire Council. Data extracted from the National Pupil Database via Nexus. 2022.
Achieving the expected in level combined reading, writing and maths
In 2022, the percentage of children who reached the expected standard for reading, writing and mathematics at the end of primary school (key stage 2) was 56.8% in Wiltshire and 58.7% in England.
A pupil is classified by the Department for Education as being disadvantaged if they are either currently eligible for free school meals or have been within the last 6 years, are looked after or have left care through a formal route such as adoption. 34.1% of disadvantaged pupils in Wiltshire reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of primary school (key stage 2). This is lower than the proportion recorded in England (42.7%) in the same time period.
Special educational needs (SEN) can affect a child or young person’s ability to learn. The term SEN covers a wide range of needs including behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, speech, language and communication, hearing and/or visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and autism. Pupils with special educational needs can be supported either by direct SEN support (provided in school) or, for pupils with more complex needs, through the provision of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). In 2022, 16.1% of Wiltshire pupils provided with SEN support or an EHCP reached the expected standard for reading, writing and mathematics at the end of primary school (key stage 2). In England over the same time period, the figure stood at 18.1%.
The chart below shows the percentage of pupils at schools in Wiltshire who reached the expected standard for reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 by Wiltshire community area in 2022.
Definition: Percentage of key stage 2 pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths by total pupils, disadvantaged pupils and SEN pupils. Key stage 2 tests are generally administered in the final year of primary school. Pupils are classified geographically by location of school.
Data source and time period: Children's Performance, Outcomes and Quality Assurance Team, Wiltshire Council. Data extracted from the National Pupil Database via Nexus. 2022.
Achieving grade 5 or above in both English and Maths GCSEs
In 2022, in Wiltshire, 48.6% of pupils achieved grade five or above in both English and Maths at GCSE level, compared with 49.8% of pupils nationally.
A pupil is classified by the Department for Education as being disadvantaged if they are either currently eligible for free school meals or have been within the last 6 years, are looked after or have left care through a formal route such as adoption. In 2022 in Wiltshire, 21.9% of disadvantaged pupils achieved grade five or above in both English and Maths at GCSE level compared with 29.6% of disadvantaged pupils nationally.
Special educational needs (SEN) can affect a young person’s ability to learn. The term SEN covers a wide range of needs including behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, speech, language and communication, hearing and/or visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and autism. Pupils with special educational needs can be supported either by direct SEN support (provided in school) or, for pupils with more complex needs, through the provision of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). In 2022 in Wiltshire, 17.6% of pupils provided with either SEN support or an EHCP achieved grade five or above in both English and Maths at GCSE level compared with 18.3% nationally.
A breakdown of the proportion of Wiltshire pupils achieving a grade five or above in GCSE level Maths and English by Wiltshire community area is shown in the chart below. It should be noted that there are no secondary schools in South West Wiltshire community area, and that the data for the disadvantaged pupils in Pewsey community area (shown as 0 on the chart) has been suppressed to ensure the protection of personal information.
Definition: Percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in both English and Maths GCSEs, for total pupils, disadvantaged pupils and SEN pupils. For English, a pupil can achieve a grade 5 or above in either English literature or English language. The GCSE grading system introduced in 2017 in England runs on a scale from nine to one where nine is the highest. A grade of five is comparable to an old 'C'' grade and is considered to be a 'strong pass'. Pupils are classified geographically by location of school.
Data source and time period: Children's Performance, Outcomes and Quality Assurance Team, Wiltshire Council. Data extracted from the National Pupil Database via Nexus. 2022.
Average attainment 8 score
Attainment 8 measures pupils achievements across eight qualifications at the end of secondary school and provides them with an overall point score. In 2022 in Wiltshire, the average attainment 8 score was 49.3 compared with 48.8 in England.
The average attainment 8 score for disadvantaged pupils in Wiltshire in 2022 was 35.2. This was slightly lower than the average attainment 8 score for disadvantaged pupils across England (37.6) over the same time period.
The average attainment 8 score in Wiltshire for pupils provided with either SEN (special educational needs) support or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) was 29.7. Across England over the same time frame, the average attainment 8 score for this cohort of pupils was 29.4.
The chart below shows a breakdown of average attainment 8 scores by Wiltshire community area in 2022. It should be noted that there are no secondary schools in South West Wiltshire community area.
Definition: Average attainment 8 score for all Wiltshire pupils at the end of secondary school, for total pupils, disadvantaged pupils and SEN pupils. Attainment 8 measures the achievement of a pupil across 8 qualifications at the end of secondary school including mathematics (double weighted) and English (double weighted), 3 further qualifications that count in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) measure and 3 further qualifications that can be GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or any other non-GCSE qualifications on the Department for Education's approved list. Each individual grade a pupil achieves is assigned a point score, which is then used to calculate a pupil’s attainment 8 score.
A pupil is classified by Department for Education as being disadvantaged if they are either currently eligible for free school meals or have been within the last 6 years, are looked after or have left care through a formal route such as adoption. Special educational needs (SEN) can affect a child or young person’s ability to learn.
The term SEN covers a wide range of needs including: behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, speech, language and communication, hearing and/or visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and autism. Pupils with special educational needs can be supported either by direct SEN support (provided in school) or, for pupils with more complex needs, through the provision of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Pupils are classified geographically by location of school.
Data source and time period: Children's Performance, Outcomes and Quality Assurance Team, Wiltshire Council. Data extracted from the National Pupil Database via Nexus. 2022.
Average progress 8 score
Progress 8 is a way of measuring the progress that pupils make from the end of key stage 2 (the last year of primary school) to the end of key stage 4 (when they take GCSEs). It compares pupil achievement in the form of their attainment 8 score with the average national attainment 8 score of all pupils who had a similar starting point (or ‘prior attainment’) at the end of key stage 2. The higher a school's progress 8 score, the more progress pupils have made in comparison with pupils who started at a similar level.
In 2022, the average progress 8 score for all pupils in Wiltshire was -0.1, indicating progress very slightly below the national average, across the county.
In 2022, the average progress 8 score for disadvantaged pupils in Wiltshire was -0.7 compared to -0.6 across England.
The average progress 8 score for pupils in Wiltshire provided with either SEN (special educational needs) support or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) was -0.7. This is in line with the national average (-0.7) over the same time frame.
A breakdown of this indicator by Wiltshire community area is shown in the chart below. It should be noted that there are no secondary schools in South West Wiltshire community area.
Definition: Average progress 8 score in Wiltshire for total pupils, disadvantaged pupils and SEN pupils. Progress 8 is a way of measuring the progress that pupils make from the end of key stage 2 (the last year of primary school) to the end of key stage 4 (when they take GCSEs). It compares pupil achievement in the form of their attainment 8 score with the average national attainment 8 score of all pupils who had a similar starting point (or ‘prior attainment’) at the end of key stage 2. The higher a school's progress 8 score, the more progress pupils have made in comparison with pupils who started at a similar level.
A pupil is classified by the Department for Education as being disadvantaged if they are either currently eligible for free school meals or have been within the last 6 years, are looked after or have left care through a formal route such as adoption.
Special educational needs (SEN) can affect a child or young person’s ability to learn. The term SEN covers a wide range of needs including behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, speech, language and communication, hearing and/or visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and autism. Pupils with special educational needs can be supported either by direct SEN support (provided in school) or, for pupils with more complex needs, through the provision of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Pupils are classified geographically by location of school.
Data source and time period: Children's Performance, Outcomes and Quality Assurance Team, Wiltshire Council. Data extracted from the National Pupil Database via Nexus. 2022.
Persistent absentees
Persistent absentees are pupils in primary or secondary schools in Wiltshire who have 90% or less school attendance.
As at May 2023, 17% of pupils in Wiltshire were persistent absentees according to the above definition. A breakdown of this indicator by Wiltshire community area is shown in the graph below.
Definition: Pupils aged 4 (reception year) to 18 (year group 13) attending a Wiltshire State School with 90% or less attendance for the Spring 2023 term as a percentage of the total cohort. Pupils are classified geographically by their home address.
Data source and time period: Children's Performance, Outcomes and Quality Assurance Team, Wiltshire Council. School Census 2023. May 2023.
Pupils continuing to a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination after completing key stage 4
In 2022, 93.8% of the approximately 5,000 students who completed their GCSEs (key stage 4) in Wiltshire progressed into a sustained education, employment or apprenticeship destination. 87.2% continued into education, 3.8% into employment and 2.8% into apprenticeships. 5% were "not recorded as a sustained destination", i.e. the pupil did not either begin, or remain for at least 6 months in, the education, employment or apprenticeship setting. 1.2% of pupils in Wiltshire did not have their activity identified.
A pupil is classified by the Department for Education as being disadvantaged if they are either currently eligible for free school meals or have been within the last 6 years, are looked after or have left care through a formal route such as adoption. In 2022, 85.9% of disadvantaged pupils completing their GCSEs (key stage 4) in Wiltshire progressed into a sustained education, employment or apprenticeship destination, compared with 87.7% nationally.
Definition: Destination measures provide information on the success of schools careers provision on school leavers and meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks. This data shows the percentage of all pupils, and of disadvantaged pupils, in Wiltshire continuing to a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination for 6 months to a year after finishing Key Stage 4 (after year 11) from state-funded mainstream schools. A pupil is classified by Department for Education as being disadvantaged if they are either currently eligible for free school meals or have been within the last 6 years, are looked after or have left care through a formal route such as adoption.
Data source and time period: Department for Education. Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2021/22. 2021/22.
16-17 year olds not in education, employment or training (NEET)
The term NEET is an acronym for 'Not in Education, Employment, or Training' and here relates to young persons aged 16-17 years who are not in sustained employment, education or vocational training.
Over the last three years in Wiltshire, the proportion of 16-17 year olds not in education, employment or training has risen consistently, from 1.9% in 2021 to 2.6% in 2023. This increase may partly reflect a reduction over the same period in the proportions of 16-17 year olds whose activity was not previously known to the local authority (from 5.1% in 2021 to 1.4% in 2023). The proportions of 16-17 year olds who are NEET in Wiltshire has remained just below the national averages (of between 2.6-2.8%) during this time frame.
Wiltshire Council's employment and skills teams are committed to supporting young people in the county to find employment, training and/or education opportunities. Through the provision of one-to-one support (including face to face, phone and/or online meetings), the team offer a range of services that can help young people to find the right opportunity for them. These include providing guidance in relation to available provision, assistance with finding and applying for appropriate education, training courses or apprenticeships, help with job searches and applications as well as CV and interview skills development.
Definition: The percentage of 16 and 17 year olds who are not in education, employment or training as a proportion of the total cohort in this age group between December and February in the years 2021-2023.
Data source and time period: Department for Education. NEET and participation: local authority figures. 2021-2023.
Engagement with Wiltshire Healthy Schools Programme
The Wiltshire Council 'healthy schools' initiative aims to support schools across the county to effectively address the health and wellbeing of children and young people. This accredited programme provides a framework of good practice on all health-related issues, supporting schools to focus on approaches that are particularly effective to ensure the best outcomes for their pupils. Schools can apply for accreditation at three levels, namely bronze, silver and gold. As at May 2023, just over half (51.9%) of Wiltshire schools were engaged in the healthy schools programme. Approximately 15% had achieved bronze level accreditation, 8% silver and 4% gold. The remainder of the engaged schools were awaiting accreditation at the time of writing.
The chart below shows the proportional breakdown of the engagement status of Wiltshire schools with the healthy schools initiative by Wiltshire community area as at May 2023.
Definition: The Wiltshire Healthy Schools programme is provided to support schools to address the health and wellbeing of all young people. Schools that take part are audited across a number of items and awarded either bronze, silver or gold. They can also be engaged with the programme but are not yet accredited. Proportional engagement is calculated as a percentage of the total number of Wiltshire schools in each community area, based on the address of the school.
Data source and time period: Wiltshire Healthy Schools. 1st May 2023.
Children who are obese or overweight
Excess weight in both children and adults is a major public health concern. Excess weight in childhood is potentially predictive of adult obesity and elevates risks of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and various other long term health conditions that can pervade into adulthood.
The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) annually measures the height and weight of children aged 4-5 years (reception year) and 10-11 year olds (year 6) within mainstream state maintained schools in England.
The aim of this is to provide an assessment of the proportion of children of primary school age who are either obese or overweight. Children are classified as overweight (including obese) if their BMI is on or above the 85th centile of the British 1990 growth reference (UK90) according to age and sex.
The data presented here covers the three years 2018/19, 2021/22 and 2022/23. It excludes data for 2019/20 and 2020/21 as data collection for these years was significantly impeded by the pandemic.
Over this period, 20.9% of children of reception year age in Wiltshire (approximately 1 in 5) were recorded as obese or overweight, while 31.5% of children aged 10-11 years old (almost 1 in 3) were recorded as obese or overweight. Comparative levels by Wiltshire community area of excess weight in 4-5 year olds, and in 10-11 year olds, measured as part of the NCMP are shown in two charts below.
Definition: The percentage of children measured as part of the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) aged 4-5 years old, and aged 10-11 years old, classified as overweight or obese. Children are classified as overweight (including obese) if their BMI is on or above the 85th centile of the British 1990 growth reference (UK90) according to age and sex.
Data source and time period: National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). 2018/19, 2021/22, 2022/23.
Accepted referrals into Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
Good emotional well-being in children and young people is just as important as physical health and is a significant issue both locally and nationally. Failure to diagnose, treat and sensitively support children and young people with poor mental health at the earliest opportunity can have a negative impact on their future, resulting in poorer health outcomes.
The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) support and treat young people up to the age of 18 who may be experiencing emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties. There are three teams operating in Wiltshire, working from hubs located in Marlborough, Melksham and Salisbury. Between December 2022 and December 2023 there were just over 5,300 accepted referrals onto CAMHS in Wiltshire. A breakdown of the number of referrals into CAMHS by Wiltshire community area is provided in the below chart.
Definition: The number of accepted referrals into Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Wiltshire.
Data source and time period: Oxford Health NHS Trust. December 2022-December 2023.
Hospital admissions as result of self harm in young people aged 10-24 yrs
Self-harm is an intentional act of self-poisoning (with, for example, medication, alcohol or other harmful substances) or self-injury (often by cutting), irrespective of motive.
There are numerous, complex reasons why children and young people may try to harm themselves and it can be a way of coping with or expressing overwhelming emotional distress. Self-harm can be seriously detrimental to the health and wellbeing of children and young people, both psychologically and physically.
Admissions to hospital following an episode of self-harm do not provide a fully representative picture of the extent of the issue of self-harm at local, regional and national levels. This is due to the fact that there are individuals who self-harm who do not seek medical help or who present via other routes.
In 2021/22, almost 650 hospital admissions were recorded relating to self-harm in 10-24 year olds in Wiltshire, equivalent to an age-standardised rate of 778 per 100,000 population. This is significantly higher than the age-standardised rate reported in England (427 per 100,000) over the same time frame.
Definition: Directly age-standardised rate per 100,000 children aged between 10 and 24 years old, based on the number of finished hospital admission episodes in children aged between 10 and 24 years where the main recorded cause (defined as the first diagnosis code that represents an external cause (V01-Y98)) is between X60 and X84 (Intentional self-harm).
Data source and time period: NHS Digital, Hospital Episode Statistics. Accessed via the Office for Health and Disparities (OHID) Fingertips tool. 2021/22.
Under 18 year olds on the social care caseload
Between 9th September 2022 and 8th September 2023 in Wiltshire, just over 2,500 children and young people aged under 18 formed part of the social care caseload. This is equivalent to a rate of 246 per 10,000 children and young people within this age group.
Comparative rates of children and young people (under the age of 18) known to children's social care by Wiltshire community area is shown in the below chart.
Definition: The number of under 18 year olds on Wiltshire Children's Social Care caseload between September 2022 and 2023, expressed as a rate per 10,000 persons aged under 18 years. Persons are classified geographically by their home address.
Data source and time period: Children's Performance, Outcomes and Quality Assurance Team, Wiltshire Council. September 2023.
Child protection: Rate of Section 47 enquiries completed in the last 12 months for under 18 year olds
A Section 47 enquiry means that children's social care must carry out an investigation when they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child in their area is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm.
The enquiry involves an assessment of the child’s needs and the ability of those caring for the child to meet them. The aim is to decide whether any action should be taken to safeguard the child.
Between 9th September 2022 and 8th September 2023 in Wiltshire, there was a rate of 97 per 10,000 under 18 year olds with a section 47 enquiry completed. A breakdown of this indicator by Wiltshire community area is provided in the chart below.
Definition: The number of completed Section 47 enquiries between September 2022 and 2023, expressed as a rate per 10,000 persons aged under 18 years. Enquiries are classified geographically by the young person's home address.
Data source and time period: Children's Performance, Outcomes and Quality Assurance Team, Wiltshire Council. September 2023.
Children in low income families
11,613 children were provisionally estimated by the Department for Work and Pensions to be living in low income families in Wiltshire in 2021/22 - this is 12.7% of all children in the county and the estimate assesses income before housing costs (BHC) and so is likely to under-represent the reality. There was considerable variation across the county, with the proportion of children in low income families in Westbury Area Board nearly double that in the Marlborough area (17.3% to 9.1%).
Definition: Children (aged under 16) living in relative low-income families. Relative low income is defined as a family in low income Before Housing Costs (BHC) in the reference year. A family must have claimed Child Benefit and at least one other household benefit (Universal Credit, tax credits, or Housing Benefit) at any point in the year to be classed as low income in these statistics. Gross income measure is Before Housing Costs (BHC) and includes contributions from earnings, state support and pensions. Housing costs in Wiltshire are high and income after housing costs (AHC) is not assessed in this measure. For more detail on children in AHC low income families in Wiltshire, please see the End Child Poverty website. Data published at ward level, aggregated to Area Board level.
Data source and time period: Department for Work and Pensions, Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2022. 2021/22 (provisional data).
Young unpaid carers
Young carers are defined here as under 16 year olds who were identified in the 2021 Census as providing some form of unpaid care.
Young people within this age bracket are providers of unpaid care if they look after, help or support anyone experiencing long-term physical or mental health conditions/illnesses, or problems related to old age. It does not include any care-related activities carried out as part of paid employment.
In the 2021 Census, almost 900 young people aged 15 years and under were identified as unpaid carers in Wiltshire. This represents a rate of 96.3 per 10,000 young people within the specified age range across the county. Comparative rates by Wiltshire community area are shown in the below chart.
Definition: Numbers of young people providing unpaid care, expressed as a rate per 10,000 persons aged under 16. Census data published at Output Area (OA) level and assigned to Area Board based on the location of the OA's population-weighted centroid.
Data source and time period: Office for National Statistics, 2021 Census, RM113 Provision of unpaid care by age. March 2021.
Economic activity: unemployment in 16-24 year olds
Economic activity is a measure of whether or not a person was an active participant in the labour market during the week prior to the 2021 Census.
People aged 16-24 years are defined as economically active and unemployed if, between 15 March and 21 March 2021, they were either; unemployed, but looking for work and could start within two weeks or unemployed, but waiting to start a job that had been offered and accepted.
In the 2021 Census, the rate of 16-24 year olds in Wiltshire that were unemployed but actively seeking work was 743.3 per 10,000 young persons within this age range. A breakdown of this indicator by Wiltshire community area is provided below.
Definition: Economically active and unemployed 16-24 year olds, expressed as a rate per 10,000 of that cohort. Census data published at Output Area (OA) level and assigned to Area Board based on the location of the OA's population-weighted centroid.
Data source and time period: Office for National Statistics. 2021 Census. RM024: Economic activity status by age. March 2021.
Reported domestic abuse offences where children/young people were present
Domestic abuse is a significant issue that cuts across all social and cultural groups and witnessing it can have long-term effects on children and young people.
In the five-year period, 2018-2022, 5,193 domestic abuse offences were reported in Wiltshire where children/young people were present.
Definition: A domestic abuse offence occurring when one or more children (aged under 18 years old) are present or witness to the abuse. Offence location provided at lower super output area (LSOA) level, assigned to Area Board (AB) based on proportion of residential dwellings in each LSOA/AB intersect.
Data source and time period: Improvement and Change, Wiltshire Police. 2018-2022.
Missing persons (aged under 18 years)
In the five-year period, 2018-2022, close to 1,800 young persons (aged under 18 years) were reported missing to Wiltshire Police. This is a rate of 33.8 per 10,000 persons within this age group, and an average of approximately 360 persons per year. Rates were higher than Wiltshire’s in seven community areas with Trowbridge community area having the highest rate, at 62.2 persons aged under 18 reported missing per 10,000 persons within this age group.
The chart below shows the rate per 10,000 persons aged below 18 years reported missing to Wiltshire Police between 2018-2022 by Wiltshire community area.
Definition: Unique missing person count, for individuals aged under 18 years old. A missing person is anyone whose whereabouts is unknown whatever the circumstances of their disappearance. They will be considered missing until located and their wellbeing established. Data provided at lower super output area (LSOA) level, assigned to Area Board (AB) based on proportion of residential dwellings in each LSOA/AB intersect. The rate was calculated by using the Office for National Statistics, Mid Year Estimates, 0-17 year olds, in 2018, 2019 and (2020 x 3) per 10,000.
Data source and time period: Improvement and Change, Wiltshire Police. 2018-2022.
Child internet exploitation offences
Child internet exploitation is the term given to online sexual abuse involving children. It happens when a child or young person (under the age of 18) is coerced, manipulated or deceived into sexual activity, and includes offences such as the abuse of power in a position of trust, engaging in sexual activity or communication as well as child pornography and prostitution. Between 2018-2022, approximately 400 offences of this nature were reported in Wiltshire, equivalent to a rate of 7.2 offences per 10,000 persons aged under 18. Rates of reported offences over the five-year period 2018-2022 were notably higher than the county average in Calne, Devizes and Tidworth community areas. A breakdown of the rates of these offences per 10,000 persons aged under 18 by Wiltshire's community areas is shown in the chart below.
Definition: Child internet exploitation covers offences against children and young people aged under 18 years old where the offence occurs online, including but not limited to: exposure, voyeurism, engaging in sexual activity or communication, abuse of power in a position of trust, rape, child pornography, and child prostitution. Offence location provided at lower super output area (LSOA) level, assigned to Area Board (AB) based on proportion of residential dwellings in each LSOA/AB intersect. The rate was calculated by using the Office for National Statistics, Mid Year Estimates, 0-17 year olds, in 2018, 2019 and (2020 x 3) per 10,000.
Data source and time period: Improvement and Change, Wiltshire Police. 2018-2022.
Knife crime involving under 18 year olds
Knife crime involving young people is a high-profile topic that is a significant concern to many.
Between 2018 and 2022 there were approximately 120 recorded knife crimes involving persons aged under 18 in Wiltshire. This equates to a rate of 2.3 per 10,000 under 18 year olds across the county.
Over this period, rates of recorded knife crimes involving young people under the age of 18 were higher than the Wiltshire average in Trowbridge, Warminster, Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade, Westbury and Salisbury community areas.
Definition: Knife crime includes a knife/blade being used, the threat of its use, or its possession in relation to specific serious violence offences, including: homicide, attempted murder, wounding causing grievous bodily harm, robbery of business property and robbery of personal property and other violent and sexual offences such as threats to kill, actual bodily harm, rape and sexual assaults. Offence location provided at lower super output area (LSOA) level, assigned to Area Board (AB) based on proportion of residential dwellings in each LSOA/AB intersect. The rate was calculated by using the Office for National Statistics, Mid Year Estimates, persons aged 0-17, in 2018, 2019 and (2020 x 3) per 10,000.
Data source and time period: Improvement and Change, Wiltshire Police. 2018-2022.
Total crime involving persons under 18 years
There are many complex reasons that may cause a young person to become involved in offending. These can include a combination of factors such as peer pressure, substance use, poor emotional wellbeing and/or challenges relating to home, personal or educational circumstances. The provision of support for young people in areas such as these is therefore key in the prevention of youth offending.
Between 2018-2022, approximately 820 offences were recorded in Wiltshire that were committed by persons under the age of 18, equivalent to a rate of 15.5 per 10,000 persons within this age group. The chart below shows the comparative rates of offences committed by under 18 year olds (as a rate per 10,000 persons within this age range) within Wiltshire's community areas between 2018-2022.
Definition: Youth crime is primarily committed by children aged 10-17. It includes the following offence groups: arson and criminal damage, burglary, drug offences, miscellaneous crimes against society, possession of weapons, public order offences, robbery, sexual offences, theft offences, vehicle offences and violence against the person. Offence location provided at lower super output area (LSOA) level, assigned to Area Board (AB) based on proportion of residential dwellings in each LSOA/AB intersect. The rate was calculated by using the Office for National Statistics, Mid Year Estimates, persons aged 0-17, in 2018, 2019 and (2020 x 3) per 10,000.
Data source and time period: Improvement and Change, Wiltshire Police. 2018-2022.
Persons under 18 years in treatment for substance misuse
Substance use (including alcohol and drugs) can negatively impact on both physical and mental health and can have damaging long-term effects on young people and their families. Over the three financial years 2020/21 - 2022/23, the rate of young persons aged under 18 years accessing treatment for substance use in Wiltshire stood at 29.6 per 10,000 persons within this age group.
The chart below shows the rate per 10,000 persons aged under 18 years accessing treatment for substance misuse in each of Wiltshire's community areas between 2020/21 - 2022/23.
Definition: Number of clients under the age of 18 years in treatment for substance misuse (including both alcohol and drugs) expressed as a rate per 10,000 under 18 year olds.
Data source and time period: Wiltshire Council, Connect Substance Use Service. 2020/21-2022/23.