ONE in seven adults in the UK has managed to achieve the job they dreamed about when they were children, including one who said they became an astronaut, an NSPCC survey reveals.

The survey, conducted by YouGov, found that the most popular childhood dream job – for one in ten adults in the UK – was to be a doctor or nurse, followed by footballer (nine per cent), and teacher (seven per cent).

Nearly, a third of adults who wanted to be a medic achieved their childhood ambition. Others who got their dream job included teachers (27 per cent), writers or journalists (nine per cent), police officers (six per cent), and actors (five per cent).

The survey results have been revealed to tie in with the NSPCC’s new TV and digital campaign - Alfie the Astronaut – to highlight that when a child is free from abuse they are free to dream.

At the heart of the campaign is a film about a boy called Alfie who dreams about becoming an astronaut. As we watch Alfie training at space camp he tells us how the NSPCC helped him and his mum recover from domestic violence. At the end of the film we see Alfie back in the real world, safe and happy, protected from future abuse. The film reminds people that ‘your donation can take a child anywhere’.

Abby May, a practitioner at the NSPCC Southampton Service Centre, said: “We know that children who have experienced abuse or neglect can be very badly affected by it. It quashes their hopes for the future and a child’s expectations for themselves become much lower than they might otherwise have been.

“Abuse or neglect can stop childhood in its tracks, forcing young people to grow up much too quickly.

“But the therapeutic work we do with children at the NSPCC’s Southampton Service Centre aims to resolve some of the issues caused by abuse. It helps them feel like children again and encourages them to look at the future much more positively – helping them see that abuse does not define who they are, and that their dreams are still reachable.”

NSPCC chief executive, Peter Wanless, said: “Every child is born with hopes for the future but if a child’s head is full of fear, anxiety or loneliness there’s no space for dreams.

“Childhood should be a time we’re free to dream. Abuse can destroy that – but it never should.

“NSPCC services help children just like Alfie to recover from domestic violence or other abuse.

“Every year, the NSPCC helps keep one million children safe from abuse and neglect, but we can only do this work with the support of the public as more than ninety per cent of our funding comes from voluntary donations.

“When I was a child I wanted to play cricket for England and Somerset, but like many people my dream changed as I got older.

“My ambition now is that through a combination of education and prevention work all children can one day grow up free from abuse.

"And until that day comes I want every child who has suffered to get the help they need to rebuild their childhood.”

The NSPCC survey found some unusual childhood dream jobs, including eleven archaeologists, ten farmers, seven artists, six chefs, and four jockeys.

And despite being barely out of the starting blocks of life, two people said they had dreamed of becoming funeral directors when they were children.

Among the one-off dream jobs were antique dealer, bus conductor, chip shop owner, dog trainer, hovercraft captain, gamekeeper, magician, opera singer, spy, and shepherdess.

Some dream jobs – doctor, lawyer, and teacher – have stayed consistently popular through the generations.

However, being a writer or journalist was significantly more popular among 18 to 24 year olds compared to older generations.

Most adults surveyed (86 per cent) didn’t ever achieve their childhood dream and more than one in four (28 per cent) said it was because they thought their ambition was unrealistic.

A lack of encouragement or approval from parents were reasons given for why people gave up on their dreams.

For those who did realise their childhood dream, more than two thirds (68 per cent) said hard work was the reason they got there but the support of parents (29 per cent) and other family or friends (14 per cent) were also key factors.

And the future appears to be bright for many of today’s young people - two thirds of under-18s surveyed by ChildLine say they are confident about getting their dream job.

Most children said achieving their goal would be down to their own hard work and good grades, but support from family and friends came a close second.

l Alfie the Astronaut is available to watch at nspcc.org.uk/alfie