What Will Be the Impact on the Well-being of Children?

Abstract

As someone who has spent much of her life working with, and researching into children and their well-being, I think now is the time to look to the future. What impact will declining fertility rates have on the world’s children? In a world where there are more lone children or children with only one brother or sister how will this impact on their development? What do we know about the psychological and educational outcomes of lone children? What role do siblings play in family life and what will be missing if they do not have them? What stresses will they bear as they carry the aspirations of their parents and grandparents? How will this impact on their well-being? How will gender preference influence the future number of boys and girls? What consequences will there be on society in a world populated by children who may be more “indulged”?