The Netherlands has come out on top of a report by UNICEF into the well-being of children in "rich" countries throughout the world.

Well-being of children

UNICEF's Report Card 11 looked at the achievements of 29 of the world's richest countries in maintaining and ensuring the well-being of their children. Five areas of focus were used to compile the rankings: material well-being, health and safety, education, behaviour and risks and housing and environment.

The Netherlands came out on top in three of the five categories, while ranking fifth for the health and safety of the country's children, and fourth the housing and environment afforded to them. The top 20 is dominated by European countries, with only Canada, ranked at number 17, breaking this dominance.

Effect of austerity

The overall impression from the past decade is heartening, in that steady improvements have been made in the well-being of children across the board. However, the data employed is from the years 2009-2010, owing to the lack of comparative date from the previous three years.

With the effect of austerity measures being implemented by various industrialised countries only truly being felt in the past three years, the report believes that overall picture may not seem so rosy when comparative data is next made available.

Despite this, parents and children in the Netherlands can take heart from their position and the fact that it follows the country being announced as one of the best places to be born, clearly suggesting that family matters are in good hands in the Netherlands.

To view the full report click here.

Top 5 countries for child well-being

1. Netherlands
2. Norway
3. Iceland
4. Finland
5. Sweden

Source: UNICEF