Children and young people are central to Slough’s long-term sustainability. Recognizing key transition points - such as moving from primary to secondary school - helps shape policies and interventions that improve early childhood health and ensure a strong start in life.
Poverty & Education
- 23.2% of under-16s (over 9,000 children) live in relative low-income families, higher than England’s 18.5%
- 14.1% of pupils (4,906 children) have special educational needs (SEN), lower than the national average
- Only 3.3% of 16-17-year-olds (134 young people) are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) - better than England’s 4.7%.
Obesity & Health Risks
- 43.3% of 10-11-year-olds in Slough are overweight or obese, significantly higher than England’s 36.8%
- 28.4% of Year 6 children are classified as obese—the highest rate in Southeast England.
MMR vaccination rates remain below the recommended 95%:
- 86.6% of 2-year-olds received their first dose
- 84.5% of 5-year-olds received their second dose.
Safety & Social Wellbeing
- 234 children were in care as of March 2022, at a rate of 53 per 10,000, lower than England’s 70 per 10,000
- 4 children per year are killed or seriously injured in road accidents. Slough’s rate (11.0 per 100,000) is better than England’s 15.9 per 100,000
- Teenage pregnancy: In 2020, 32 teenage conceptions occurred. Slough’s rate (11.3 per 1,000 females aged 15-17) is similar to England’s 13.0 per 1,000.
Mental Health & Substance Use
- Hospital admissions for alcohol-specific conditions in under-18s are significantly lower in Slough (7.7 per 100,000 vs. England’s 29.3 per 100,000)
- Hospital admissions for substance misuse (15-24 years) are also lower (42.9 per 100,000 vs. England’s 81.2 per 100,000)
- Mental health admissions among young people are significantly better in Slough (45.8 per 100,000 vs. England’s 99.8 per 100,000)
- Self-harm hospital admissions (10-24 years) are lower in Slough (285.0 per 100,000 vs. England’s 427.3 per 100,000).