Kids reveal what they think of today’s global issues

With so much happening in today's world, from climate change to Brexit, there is no doubt that our children are affected by what they read or see on the news.

We wanted to find out exactly what children think about current issues in the world, including their top concerns and what influences them in their day to day lives.

The poll asked 5,160 children aged from 6-16-years-old what they think about current world issues. Here are the results:

What worries you the most in the world in 2019?

Climate change and sustainability - 48%

Popularity at school - 20% 

Terrorism - 13%

Bullying - 8%

School work - 6% 

Friends and family relationships - 3% 

Brexit and the future of our country - 1.5%

Other issues - 0.5% 

Are you aware of increasing plastic consumption and sustainability issues we are facing?

Yes – 81% 

No – 19%

If you answered yes, does the issue worry you?

Yes – 67% 

No – 33%

Are you worried about climate change damaging the environment?

Yes – 65% 

No – 35%

Would you rather meet climate change activists such as David Attenborough or Greta Thunberg than your favourite YouTuber or celebrity?

Yes - 37% 

No – 63%

Would you go to a climate change protest?

Yes - 59%

No - 41%
 

Would you rather go to a climate change protest than a theme park?

Yes - 13%

No - 87%

Do you often think about issues such as war or terrorism?

Yes – 72% 

No – 28%

Does terrorism worry you in 2019?

Yes – 54% 

No – 46%

Do politics and Brexit worry you?

Yes – 38% 

No- 62%

Do you understand Brexit and politics at the moment?

Yes – 12% 

No – 88%

Where you read/find out about the news?

Social media - 67%

Online– 21% 

No access to news – 8% 

TV/Radio – 4%

Do you feel you know enough about what is going on in the world today?

Yes - 76%

No - 24%

Do you ever worry about fake news?

Yes - 65%

No - 35%

If you use it, does social media influence your opinions and actions day to day?

Yes – 90% 

No – 10%

Richard Conway, founder of Childcare.co.uk, said:

“As a parent myself, it was sobering to see what children are worrying about in 2019.

“In my experience, we as parents can often forget just how much exposure even very young children have to news. While it’s good to see children engaging with key issues and current events, it’s sad to hear that the climate change crisis, amongst other things, is causing so much anxiety among the next generation

“We are more aware than ever about our devastating impact on the world, and the fact this came up top as children’s concerns shows just how much we need to change as a society to save our planet.”