About the survey
Twice a year (in January and July), we collect data through the Barnardo's Practitioner Survey.
The survey captures insights from practitioners to understand more about the challenges our children, young people and families are facing. The results from the survey play a vital role in helping us to achieve change for the children and young people we support and helps inform decisions like:
- What we focus on as a charity
- What we say to Government and decision makers across the UK
- What we say in the media
- What we put in our fundraising materials
- Our future direction of travel
How we’ve used your views to inform our work
We regularly use evidence from the survey in our briefings to MPs and Peers, and other decision makers across the UK, as well as in our media coverage. This helps raise awareness of children's voices and experience. See some of our recent examples below:
Key findings from the January 2024 Practitioner Survey
Emerging and Changing Needs
- Financial issues, poverty and the cost-of-living crisis are the main concerns of practitioners in relation to those they support
- A lack of support and resources; issues around education; and a rise in mental health and wellbeing issues are other key concerns
Poverty
Over the last twelve months:
- 35% of practitioners were concerned that families were unable to afford appropriate sleeping arrangements (e.g. beds or bedding) for their children
- 43% were concerned that children, young people and families did not have enough to eat during the school holidays
- 59% were concerned that children, young people and families could not afford activities during the school holidays
School Attendance
- 68% of practitioners have supported children and young people who have struggled to attend school, over the last twelve months
- Of these practitioners, 83% think these children and young people are going to continue to struggle to attend school over the next few months
Mental Health and Wellbeing
- 74% of practitioners think there has been an increase in the number of children and young people experiencing mental health and wellbeing issues in the last twelve months
- 52% of practitioners have noticed changes in the types of mental health and wellbeing issues experienced by children and young people
- 50% of practitioners have noticed changes in the types of mental health and wellbeing issues experienced by parents/carers
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No crib for a bed: Bed poverty
Data collected from the July 2023 Practitioner Survey was used in a report looking at how the cost-of-living crisis is exacerbating child poverty across our services.
The report focuses on bed poverty and is being used to make calls to the UK Government to take action to address these issues.
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Child Exploitation: A Hidden Crisis
Feedback from the January 2023 Practitioner Survey informed our report, Child Exploitation: A Hidden Crisis.
We are using this report to make recommendations on how children who have been, or are at risk of being, sexually abused and/or exploited, can be safeguarded and supported. -
Cost-of-living crisis in Wales
Data collected from the January 2023 Practitioner Survey was used in a paper presented to decision makers in Wales.
The report showed the deepening impact of poverty and the cost-of-living crisis on children, young people and families in Wales.
Previous reports
All of our previous results are available in the drop downs below. You can click on each report to read the full findings.
Or you can explore the data future with our interactive dashboards: January 2024, January 2023 and July 2023. You can filter the survey results by region or nation, or the type of service provided by practitioners.