Map pinpoints England's worst childhood 'postcode lottery' as Commissioner warns of 'state of emergency'

A new map revealing the hardest places in England for children to grow up has been published, with Middlesbrough, Hounslow and Bradford named among the most deprived areas for young people. The report, 'The Childhood Lottery', finds that one in three children lack school readiness at age five. More than half of pupils fall short of a good standard in English and maths GCSEs. Mental health waits range from six days in Leicester to 118 in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The bottom ten also includes Nottingham, Halton, Peterborough, Leicester, Liverpool, Sunderland and Medway.

The easiest places to grow up are Cheshire East, Merton and Surrey, which take the top three positions.

Dame Rachel de Souza is expected to brand the findings 'a litany of failure'.