Better world
In The Big Ask, children described an ambitious, socially conscious and reforming vision of the world they want to live in.
They want a society where everyone can succeed and told me they care about the environment and planet. Just over 1 in 5 children (22%) chose ‘a healthy environment and planet’ as one of their top priorities for having a good life when they grow up.
Being treated fairly was another key theme that came up for children, with 1 in 5 children chose ‘everyone being treated fairly’.
Older generations love to mock us for taking action against social issues by calling us, and I quote ‘snowflakes’. Yet they won’t. We are finally taking action on things
Girl, 13,
The Big Ask
Latest Reports
The Children’s Plan: The Children’s Commissioner’s School Census
8 September 2025
Read The Children’s Plan: The Children’s Commissioner’s School Census in full. Read the Summary version. For the first time as Children’s Commissioner, I have used my statutory powers to ask all schools, and colleges, a set of questions. A census in response to what children told me they wanted and needed to attend, engage, attain, […]
Report
Growing up in a low-income family: Children’s experiences
8 July 2025
This report should not have to exist. Shining a light on children’s experiences of poverty in 2025, in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, should not be necessary. And yet, the findings in this work highlight real hardship; an almost-Dickensian level of poverty facing some children in England today. After four years as […]
Report
Business Plan, 2025-26
3 April 2025
The year ahead – 2025-26 – will be my penultimate year as Children’s Commissioner for England. It will also mark 20 years since the establishment of this office – a milestone that offers an opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made and a reminder about the many urgent challenges that remain. More than […]
Report
My Plan for the year, 2025-26
I’ve designed a version of my Business Plan aimed specifically for children and young people, sharing the projects and themes that my office will be working on. As Children’s Commissioner for England, it is my job to listen to you and take your voices to decision makers. In my survey, The Big Ambition, only one […]
Report
Children’s involvement in the 2024 riots
28 January 2025
Last July, the country was rocked by the murders of three little girls in Southport. Bebe King, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Elsie Dot Stancombe who were killed while taking part in a dance class during their summer holiday; a scene of simple childhood innocence destroyed by terrifying violence. The initial response from the community […]
Report
The Big Ambition: Ambitions, Findings and Solutions
25 March 2024
As Children’s Commissioner it is my job to promote and protect the rights of children, and to make sure their voices are heard. That’s why in September 2023, I launched The Big Ambition to hear directly from children, young people, and parents across the country. I wanted to hear about what they wanted for the […]
Report
Briefing for MPs ahead of the report stage of the Illegal Migration Bill
25 April 2023
As the Illegal Migration Bill enters Report Stage on Wednesday 26th April, the Children’s Commissioner remains concerned about provisions in the Bill for children and young people. The Children’s Commissioner for England has a statutory duty, as set out in the Children Act 2004, to promote and protect the rights of children all children, with […]
Report
Business plan 2023-24
30 March 2023
Looking to a new business year, I have been reflecting on children and young people’s lives over the last couple of years and thinking about everything they have told me since I have become Children’s Commissioner. When I started in role, the impact of Covid and children’s lives returning to normal was at the forefront […]
Report
The Children’s Commissioner’s submission to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child
1 December 2022
‘The fact that some adults don’t believe in children’s rights, and we have those rights, so we need the Government to speak about rights for kids so that we have a life of some sort of freedom. And that we have respect for adults so adults should have at least some respect for kids around […]
Report
My work so far…
COP26
I teamed up with Generation Earthshot to teach children in Glasgow about the environment and joined a ‘teach-the-teacher’ lesson where I heard first-hand how passionate children are to reduce climate change, as well as solutions to make this happen.
My office produced a children’s guide and slides for schools as part of COP26 to help children understand and get involved with events.
Advisory boards
I am setting up two new advisory boards: Care experienced and Children’s advisory boards to involve children even more closely in our work, ensuring it reflects their views.
Migrants & refugee children
I spoke at the launch of Books without Borders about the importance of getting books to Ukrainian children staying in the UK. The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, joined the event virtually and it was a privilege to hear her speak.
I visited the Kent Intake Unit, Western Jet Foil and Carlton hotel in Kent to see how the processing of migrants has changed since my last visit.
Nobody is less capable than anyone […] if they have a different colour of skin […] they should be treated fairly.
Boy, 10
The Big Ask.
