Children and Young People’s Homes – A Snapshot Survey of Children and Young People in Wales
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Introduction
During January 2025 we asked children and young people about their homes.
The survey was part of an ongoing series of topical questions we ask children and young people monthly to hear their views on a variety of issues, called Monthly Matters. It was shared directly with all schools signed up to our children’s rights schemes for primary and secondary schools, as well as community groups.
As part of the survey pack, children and young people were shown a video introducing the topic, and they were asked to consider some questions, like what sort of home do they live in, what do they like about their home, what would they change and what makes a good home. We suggested in our session outline that, following this video, children and young people should have a few minutes to discuss their views with each other before answering the survey. Schools and groups had two options for completing the survey; children and young people could either do it independently, or a teacher or group leader could complete the survey on behalf of the group by answering a different set of questions to give an overview of the discussion.
724 children and young people answered the survey individually. A further 665 children took part in groups, with teachers and youth workers submitting a summary of their views. A broad range of ages took part, from children under the age of 5 up to 18-year-olds. We received responses from 20 local authority areas.
Questions were developed by the Commissioner’s experienced staff team based on themes that had emerged from previous engagement exercises with children, young people, and professionals.
Questions for children and young people
Which type of home do you live in? There are pictures to help you.
Semi detached (288) – 42%
Detached house (175) – 26%
Terraced House (173) – 25%
Bungalow (22) – 3%
Flat (14) – 2%
B&B (9) – 1%
What do you like about your home?
The highest number of responses related to:
- Bedroom / bed
- Comfiness / cosiness
- My family
What would you change about your home?
The highest number of responses related to:
- Not wanting to change anything
- Size of house / number of rooms
- Size of bedroom
Where in your home do you relax and/or play? You can choose as many as you want.
Bedroom (620) – 90%
Living room (443) – 64%
Garden (227) – 33%
Study/playroom (150) – 22%
Kitchen (116) – 17%
Somewhere different (40) – 6%
Balcony (26) – 4%
I’d rather not say (9) – 1%
I don’t have space to relax or play at home (3) – 0%
Where else do you relax and play at home? Is it a good place to relax and play?
The highest number of responses related to:
- Their bedroom
- Parents’ bedroom
- Dining room / dinner table
- Garden
They were then asked an additional question:
Please tell us why
The most common answers fell under the following themes:
- Relaxing / calming
- Quiet / private / personal space
- Comfortable / cosy
Where in your home do you do your school/homework? You can choose as many as you want.
Bedroom (432) – 62%
Living room (327) – 47%
Kitchen (190) – 27%
Study/play room (77) – 11%
Somewhere different (41) – 6%
I’d rather not say (28) – 4%
I don’t have a space to do school/homework (9) – 1%
Where in your home do you do school/homework? Is it a good place to do school/homework?
The highest number of responses related to:
- In the dining room
- On the table
- In the living room
They were then asked an additional question:
Please tell us why
The most common answers fell under the following themes:
- It’s quiet and peaceful
- They have a desk and a chair
- Family members can help
What’s close to where you live? By close, we mean somewhere you can walk or doesn’t take you long in the car or on public transport.
Play park (swing, slide, monkey bars) (512) – 74%
Shops (481) – 70% School (435) – 63%
Playing fields/park (388) – 56%
Bus stop (388) – 56%
Library (203) – 30%
Leisure Centre (184) – 27%
Doctors’ surgery (152) – 22%
Other Clubs (142) – 21%
Youth Club (118) – 17%
Train station (116) – 17%
Community Centre (111) – 16%
When you’re older, do you want to live in the same area you live in now?
Yes (216) – 31%
Maybe (179) – 26%
No (168) – 24%
I don’t know (125) – 18%
They were then asked an additional question:
Please explain your answer
The highest number of responses related to:
- Liking the area/home and live close to family and friends
- Wanting to live in a different area
What makes a good home?
The highest number of responses related to:
- Family / love and care
- Feeling safe
- Comfort and cosiness
Questions for Teachers
What did the group like about their homes and what would they change?
The highest number of responses related to:
- They wanted more space / more rooms / bigger house
- They feel safe / relaxed
- Their house is warm and clean
To what extent did the group feel their homes were good places for relaxing and playing?
The highest number of responses related to:
- They felt happy and relaxed
- The House is too noisy / noisy siblings
- They agree their home was a good place for them to relax and play
To what extent did the group feel their homes were good places to do school/homework?
The highest number of responses related to:
- They agree that their home was a good place to do their school/homework
- There’s too much noise
- They have enough space to do their homework
Conclusion
We’ve used the data from this survey to form part of our research for a project on housing.
The report summarises the experiences of housing and the need for the inclusion of voices of children under 16, including the need to separate children’s voices from that of the family unit.
The report will be published on our website: