Children love being able to play in open spaces, but increased development in residential areas is robbing them of this space.

A substantial number of children would like a better and happier home life, with one in 10 saying they yearned for more attention from their parents, according to a study on Maltese children’s well-being.

Conducted by Carmel Cefai and Natalie Galea from the Centre for Resilience and Socio-emotional Health at the University of Malta, the study examines 2,569 children aged eight, 10 and 12.

The research forms part of Children’s Worlds, a worldwide research survey on children’s subjective well-being.

According to the study, 10 per cent would like more attention from their parents, nine per cent had limited communication with their parents or did so only occasionally, 12 per cent did not have fun together and 21 per cent did not learn together.

“It looks like a substantial number of children, although still a relatively small minority, would like to have a better and happier home life,” Prof. Cefai explained.

The increased urbanisation is leaving children with less physical space to have fun safely

“Perhaps more worrying is that five per cent do not feel safe at home, with another five per cent only partially agreeing that they feel safe. These could be the children who may be at risk of neglect or possibly abuse, and whose healthy development may be at risk.”

Maltese children also rank quite low in satisfaction with outdoor areas where they can play and have fun in. The increasing urbanisation and building of land in residential areas appeared to be leaving children with less and less physical space in their neighbourhoods where they could go out and have fun safely, Prof. Cefai said.

Going out may also be risky because of increased traffic, bullying from other children and fear of “strangers”.

Malta’s roads make cycling not only unpleasant but risky and hazardous for both children and adults, he continued.

These issues were particularly thrown into sharp relief in view of the very high rate of childhood obesity and low rate of physical exercise among Maltese children. Confinement in closed spaces was also negatively related to their happiness and well-being.

There should be more spacious and safe play and recreational areas close to where children lived, Prof. Cefai suggested. School grounds and sports centres should be opened up, while safer cycling routes should be created.

Adult supervision to prevent risk from traffic accidents, bullying and potential predators would also help children feel safer and more comfortable in the open spaces.

The study demonstrated that 20 per cent of 10- to 12-year-olds did not have their own room. Privacy was very important for children’s healthy social and emotional development, Prof. Cefai noted.

Physical space, such as having one’s own room or own corner in a shared room, was very important for children’s individuality and sense of autonomy. This was the place where they could be themselves, define themselves, and have the space to make their own choices, such as choosing what is important for them, how to spend their free time and be with their friends.

This, he added, did not preclude parents from monitoring and supervising what happened in children’s rooms. However, this had to be done with dignity and respect without infringing the child’s right to privacy.

Additionally, 15 per cent of children did not like going to school, nine per cent did not feel safe at school, while eight per cent did not feel teachers treated them fairly. Was this a petty childish perspective or could this manifest itself in truancy and early school leaving?

“Whether actually true or whether it feels like that for children, such a perceived injustice may lead to disengagement; teachers do not only have to ensure they are fair with all the students, but that they are also seen to be fair.”