Data Set <b>Growing Up Unequally</b>

<p dir="ltr">Territorial inequalities in urban childhood are not incidental but structurally constructed through unequal distribution of services, spaces, and care infrastructure. Yet few mixed-methods studies examine how spatial injustice intersects with work–family strain and children’s own experiences to either constrain or enable child well-being at municipal scales. This study investigates how territorial inequalities shape childhood opportunity and service access in Elche, Spain (30 neighborhoods, 198,899 inhabitants), and how participatory territorial diagnosis—grounded in children’s and families’ voices—can directly inform municipal policy transformation. Using concurrent mixed methods (303 family surveys, 187 child surveys, qualitative interviews with five municipal decision-makers, four participatory focus groups with children and parents, and systematic territorial mapping), we documented dramatic disparities in service availability, work–family conciliation support, and public space quality. Key findings include: 98% of families report severe work–family conciliation stress, service accessibility ranges from 18% to 41% across neighborhoods, and children experience restricted autonomy constrained by traffic, infrastructure deficits, and limited play spaces. Critically, children’s “95-centimeter perspective”—environmental observations from child eye-level—exposed design failures and safety hazards invisible to conventional adult-centered planning. Most significantly, participatory diagnosis proved transformative: policy recommendations derived directly from community input are now being implemented by municipal authorities, demonstrating that territorial diagnosis functions as a tool for spatial justice and evidence-based policy change. This case study offers a replicable model for Spanish and Mediterranean municipalities seeking to align urban policy with child rights frameworks while addressing the material inequalities that structure childhood experiences.</p>