Fewer children have ever smoked a cigarette or taken drugs, a new survey of thousands of young people in Newcastle reveals.
The number of secondary school pupils who’ve tried illegal substances has more than halved since 2011, while just eight in 100 say they’ve tried tobacco.
Cllr Adam Walker, Newcastle City Council’s Cabinet member for adult social care, health and prevention, said: “We want all children in our city to enjoy happy and healthy lives and know that attitudes and habits formed in childhood can have lifelong impacts.
“Laying good foundations during early years can improve outcomes and reduce inequalities, and this survey allows us to measure progress in achieving that, as well as highlighting young people’s concerns.
“It is immensely positive to hear children – through our Health Related Behaviour Questionnaire - say they are happier and more active, and are less often taking actions that may harm their health.
“However, there are areas of concern – particularly around acceptable behaviour and what constitutes a healthy relationship; online safety; the number of children missing breakfast; and the impacts of puberty on school attendance.
“Across Newcastle much good work is ongoing to support children and families and, as we work to become a Marmot City, we will use this information to help plan our interventions to best meet children’s needs.”
What is the Health Related Behaviour Questionnaire (HRBQ)?
Every 2 years since 2011 Newcastle City Council has asked children aged 8 to 15 (school years 4, 6, 8 and 10) for their views on a range of topics including:
- drugs, alcohol and tobacco
- healthy eating
- physical activity
- relationships and sexual health
- safety
- school
- emotional health and wellbeing
- puberty and growing up
Results of the HRBQ
In 2024, 5,992 children from 55 schools in the city took part.
Just 4 per cent of secondary school pupils said they’d tried drugs (down from 9.5 per cent in 2011), while of that tiny minority the proportion who’d taken multiple drugs at the same time fell from 23 per cent to 7 per cent.
Ninety two per cent of secondary pupils also said they’d never smoked (up from 69 per cent in 2011 and a 6 per cent rise since 2022), and 58 per cent of teenagers said they’d never tried alcohol (up from 26 percent 13 years ago).
At primary school level the percentages of pupils who had been to the dentist in the last year (66 per cent, up from 57 percent), do physical activity five days a week (28 per cent, up from 23 per cent) or don’t exercise outside of school 8 per cent, down from 11 per cent) all significantly improved compared to 2022.
Children’s concerns
While the latest results are encouraging in many areas, they also show:
- almost a quarter of teenage girls have been absent from lessons due to the pain of their periods
- one in five children had not eaten breakfast on the morning of the survey (including almost 1 in 3 secondary school pupils)
- views about acceptable behaviours in relationships are changing, with boys less likely to see controlling behaviours as “always wrong” than in 2022
Director of Public Health for Newcastle, Alice Wiseman, said: “We know that children feel Newcastle is an amazing place to grow up and that when children feel safe, loved, happy and healthy, they’re set up to tackle life’s challenges head-on and make positive choices.
“But there are challenges and by carrying out surveys like the HRBQ it helps us to understand what the issues are and influence our efforts to put the right support, in the right place, and at the right time to lay the foundations for a lifetime of better outcomes.
“We’ll use what we’ve learned here to support schools and partners to deliver health and wellbeing education, correct misinformation, and promote more beneficial behaviours.”
Read the HRBQ
To read the full HRBQ results see: