![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0_Reaction-as-Bristol-ranks-lowest-in-England-for-opportunities-for-kids.jpg\")
Hartcliffe in South Bristol(Image: Tom Wren \/ SWNS)<\/p>\nSurvey found opportunities for young people were lackingHartcliffe in South Bristol(Image: Tom Wren \/ SWNS)<\/p>\n
People in Bristol have blamed ”a lack of mentors and things to do” – after parts of the city were ranked lowest in England<\/a> for prospects for working class children.<\/p>\n Kids that grow up on free school meals in one area of the city are the least likely to get a degree compared with every other part of the country, a new study shows.<\/p>\n Other areas there also rank near the bottom of the likelihood youngsters will have a job at 28.<\/p>\n Kids who get free school dinners in south and east Bristol start life with some of the lowest prospects in the country, the shock report<\/a> by The Sutton Trust said.<\/p>\n Called the ‘The Opportunity Index’ it used data from over 25 years to focus on the prospects for kids.<\/p>\n It found just 4 per cent on free school meals in Bristol South will have a degree by 22 – the lowest in England where data was available.<\/p>\n And Bristol South and Bristol East both feature in the top ten worst results for ‘Opportunity Index Rank’ which combines all the data.<\/p>\n Locals blame a lack of facilities and role models which see kids wander the streets – and forced to turn to knife crime.<\/p>\n Leanne Mitchell, 34, a youth mentor from Hartcliffe<\/a>, said: \u201cI work as a youth manager at the moment and I do work with people that have been excluded from school and support them.<\/p>\n \u201cThere isn\u2019t a lot going on around here, that\u2019s why it\u2019s so bad. There isn\u2019t anywhere for them to go. There\u2019s a lot of criminal and antisocial behaviour.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got two young children myself, I\u2019ve got an 11 and a 14 year old. Luckily one of them plays football and he\u2019s busy with that and my other daughter is just in because there isn\u2019t much to do.<\/p>\n \u201cI think a lot of times it’s because they\u2019re not aware. If the parents aren\u2019t aware of their opportunities and unable to support them and guide them in terms of what they could do with their education, there is no one else helping them with that.<\/p>\n \u201cThere needs to be more people in between helping and supporting young people.<\/p>\n \u201cBut as much as there is negativity around it, there have been a lot more people trying to help so it just needs to be better.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of them finish secondary school and then that\u2019s it, they\u2019re done. Unless you\u2019ve got someone who can lead by example. And a lot of them didn\u2019t even go to school anyway.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is not much opportunity. There needs to be more people putting the work in here.<\/p>\n \u201cFor a lot of young people they need someone to look up to, they need a positive role model in their life.<\/p>\n ”But it\u2019s hard because how do you make a positive role model if you\u2019re stuck in a cycle of not making it. What else can be there? Leaders make leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n Tim Fryer, 59, from Hartcliffe, works in the nearby B&Q.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cThey don\u2019t have anything really. It\u2019s like everything has been taken away from them.<\/p>\n ”There\u2019s no youth clubs or anything, they’re just left to wander the streets. And then they just find things to do which aren\u2019t good.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all boredom. They don\u2019t have anything to do. We moan about children sitting on computer games but then don’t give them anything to do when they go out.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I was young it was a case of going out, to the woods, all sorts to do, it made it nice. But what are they going to remember? It\u2019s not right.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick Channing, 40, works at Hartcliffe & Withywood Community Partnership as a support worker.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cThe report is not surprising. It\u2019s all true. And it\u2019s because they\u2019ve got nothing to do. That\u2019s why there is so much trouble, so much knife crime, drugs, loads of gangs.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a massive problem. They have just left this area to rot really. It wasn\u2019t like this when I was growing up. There were community centres.<\/p>\n \u201cThey need to put some more money into the area. It\u2019s so run-down. It\u2019s one of the most deprived places in Britain I think.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI want the Government to come round and have a look at the area and just see how it is.\u201d<\/p>\n Lee Taylor, 47, has lived in Knowle<\/a> West all his life. He said: \u201cThey need some good mentors, that’s what they need.<\/p>\n \u201cThe only opportunity kids have around here is selling weed or pinching. All the youth clubs have shut.<\/p>\n \u201cEven though you have got a lot of naughty kids around here, the older generation tarnishes all the kids with the same brush so nobody gets opportunity around here.<\/p>\n \u201cThey can say they\u2019ve got job centres and youth schemes or whatever, but where are they then? You go through here at nighttime and see what there is for kids to do there is nothing.<\/p>\n \u201cThey need some good mentors up here. If you catch them at the right age and teach them then that\u2019s what needs to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n A local resident in Hartcliffe, 36, said: \u201cI\u2019m not surprised, to be honest. It\u2019s really hard for young people to get ahead around here.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s not much for them. We have no decent youth centres, jobs aren\u2019t really that great, and schools are too busy dealing with bad behaviour.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been a bit forgotten I suppose. There\u2019s not much hope for kids around her unless something really changes for them.\u201d<\/p>\n A local resident who works at a community centre in Knowle West, Kate, said: \u201cThey tend to get up to no good because there\u2019s not a lot in the local area.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes the police are called on them fairly often because they just muck about. It\u2019s just difficult to deal with. How you could change it I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n Join Bristol Live\u2019s WhatsApp community for top stories and breaking news sent directly to your phone<\/strong><\/p>\n Bristol Live<\/a> is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.<\/p>\n Through the app, we\u2019ll send the latest breaking news, top stories, exclusives and much more straight to your phone.<\/p>\n To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select \u2018Join Community\u2019.<\/a><\/p>\n No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Bristol Live<\/a> team.<\/p>\n We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. 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Leanne Mitchell(Image: Tom Wren \/ SWNS)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750566617_754_0_Reaction-as-Bristol-ranks-lowest-in-England-for-opportunities-for-kids.jpg\")
Hartcliffe in South Bristol(Image: Tom Wren \/ SWNS)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750566619_832_0_Reaction-as-Bristol-ranks-lowest-in-England-for-opportunities-for-kids.jpg\")
Tim Fryer(Image: Tom Wren \/ SWNS)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750566620_477_0_Reaction-as-Bristol-ranks-lowest-in-England-for-opportunities-for-kids.jpg\")
Nick Channing(Image: Tom Wren \/ SWNS)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750566622_419_0_Reaction-as-Bristol-ranks-lowest-in-England-for-opportunities-for-kids.jpg\")
Lee Taylor(Image: Tom Wren \/ SWNS)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1744476931_129_0_WhatsApp-Phone.jpg\")
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