CHILDREN from the Shettleston area of Glasgow face higher levels of mental health problems than anywhere else in the city.

 

The first study of its kind looked at the social, emotional and behavioural difficulties of 11,487 pre-school children across the city.

Children from Shettleston, in the city's East End, recorded the highest level of problems overall and scored highest for emotional problems.

Children living in more deprived areas had the highest levels of difficulties and boys were more affected than girls.

However children in some very deprived areas of Glasgow had fewer difficulties than might be expected, while those in relatively affluent areas had more difficulties than expected including Langside in the south of the city.

And in Govan, where 35.4% of children live in poverty, the scores were considerably better than would be expected. Researchers said the stable population and evidence of "strong family ties" in the area might account for the area's more favourable results.

Children from Calton, Springburn and Canal - among the most deprived areas in Glasgow - recorded the highest level of behavioural problems.

Those who live in Hillhead recorded the fewest difficulties overall.

A third of Glasgow's population live in Scotland's 10% most deprived areas

Researchers said further studies are required to determine what other factors may be affecting outcomes for children.

Pre-school education staff were asked to complete Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ) for all children entering school.

The percentage of children under statutory parental supervision - involvement of social work services - did not significantly vary across wards. Langside had the lowest number of children under the care of the local authority.

Dr Louise Marryat, said: "Without controlling for anything else Shettleston children have the highest proportion of overall difficulties.

"Once you control for different levels of deprivation and different numbers of looked after children etc. between wards, it becomes apparent that, even after accounting for such adversities, children in the north east of Glasgow overall are doing worse than their peers in most of the rest of the city, the exceptions being Craigton and Langside.

" Langside is an interesting one, as it does okay until you control for the relative affluence of the area, at which point it becomes apparent that children may not be doing as well as they would be expected to for the demographics of the area."

The current findings are in line with results from previous research, which has found that individual and family differences may play a larger role in social, emotional and behavioural. The study was carried out by the University of Glasgow and Glasgow City Council.