Violence at home, drugs and family breakdown are the main threats to a happy childhood in Sussex and the South East, a new survey shows.

More than half the people questioned, 62 per cent, identified violence at home as a major problem, while 45 per cent said family breakdown and 40 per cent cited drugs as a threat.

Despite this, 46 per cent felt children had greater opportunities and 23 per cent a better education than ever before.

Nationally 56 per cent of the 1,014 people who took part in the survey were concerned about violence, 52 per cent worried about drugs, and 42 per cent believed family breakdowns were a problem.

National Children's Homes, which runs projects for vulnerable children, including schemes in Brighton and Hove, Horsham, Crawley, Eastbourne, Bexhill, Hastings and St Leonards, released the survey alongside its charity review.

NCH's director of children's services in the South East, Pat Turner, said: "While the majority of people think children face a good future with greater opportunities, many of the children and young people we work with in the South East do not have the same opportunities.

"NCH's services are needed more than ever and last year our 39 projects across the South East supported 8,115 vulnerable children, young people and their families."

New NCH projects in Sussex include a Siblings Club for under-nines in the Hastings, Rother and the Bexhill area who have a disabled brother or sister.

Parents often find their able-bodied children come second to the intensive care needs of their disabled child.

The club, run by Ore Valley Family Support in Hastings, helps redress the balance by providing opportunities for play and outings that the children might otherwise miss out on.

The project, run in partnership with Hastings NHS and Bexhill Social Services, already provides a Siblings Club for children aged nine and over.

Meanwhile in West Sussex the NCH is developing a scheme to support families who struggle to look after their children.

Crawley Family Centre's new service will encourage extended family members to become more involved in finding solutions to the child care problems.

South East assistant director Jimmy Turner said: "Involving the extended family and the child in making decisions means the agreed placement, often with a grandparent or aunt, is much more likely to work.

"It's important that children stay in touch with people close to them and what they are familiar with, including attending the same school and seeing their friends."