Children in England have shared their fears about the unforeseen consequences of the UK’s assisted dying bill, after the Children’s Commissioner met with clinicians in Canada about their plans to expand end of life legislation to include ‘mature minors’.
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza recently returned from a visit to Toronto, where she spoke to bioethicists and young patients at a leading children’s hospital to learn more about their healthcare system and the country’s use of assisted dying and its implications for children.
Dame Rachel’s visit, part of a broader agenda looking at Canada’s education system and support for children with additional needs, comes just ahead of today’s final vote at Report Stage of the government’s Bill to introduce assisted dying – the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
Teenagers in this country have told the Children’s Commissioner that the Bill ‘touches our generation in important ways’, deserving of a voice in the proceedings. They have shared their views on whether the legislation, if passed, could be misused or even abused, and voiced personal concerns about its implications and unforeseen consequences in the future:
Boy, 16: “[One] seriously negative aspect of the bill is that it could normalise death as an answer to suffering, which could persuade our children with serious mental or physical conditions that society sees them as less valuable, which is simply not true.”
Girl, 16: “It would be my fear that this will eventually be used to systematically select which members of society are to be deemed worthy of life and it may be used to essentially remove those who society sees as ‘less worthy’ or ‘less useful’ without fearing any real consequences.”
Boy, 16: “For young people who have watched loved ones suffer through painful illnesses, the bill can feel like a compassionate step forward. At the same time, it also raises fears about the message we send to those who are struggling — especially in a society still fighting to destigmatise mental health issues.”
Girl, 15: “If assisted dying does become law then who gets to decide what pain and suffering is? […] Imagine how many people at the worst stage of their life would choose to die rather than live. This bill allows people to give up.”
The Bill currently before Parliament seeks to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults or adults living with life-limiting conditions. Though the proposed legislation applies only to those over the age of 18, it has undeniable implications for children — especially those nearing legal adulthood – but they have not been formally consulted.
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said:
“Children’s voices are powerful and it’s essential that we listen. They are thoughtful, empathetic, with the ability to comprehend and articulate deep issues – they deserve to be part of this debate.
“Yet, even at this major stage of the Bill’s passage through Parliament, children’s views have at best been sidelined, at worst written off entirely simply because they would not fall within the scope of the current scope of legislation.
“They have spoken passionately about their worries that this Bill could be extended further. We need only to look to other models, such as Canda, where proposals for assisted death to be expanded to ‘mature minors’ – children – are a live issue, to understand the source of their concern.”
“This Bill has raised the level of debate on important and challenging subjects in England – but children have raised very real concerns with me about their opportunity to shape this legislation, which could impact them as they reach adulthood, or impact them in indirect ways through the deaths of loved ones.
“Just one in five children have told me they feel that politicians listen to or act on their views – now must be the time to prove them wrong.”
Children’s testimonies in full:
Girl, 16:
“Although assisted dying can relieve someone of further pain and suffering when nothing else can be done, it is my belief that the Bill should not go ahead unless there are strong safeguards to protect vulnerable adults. There are too many children and adults with complex disabilities already having unwanted [Do Not Resuscitate orders] put on them, receiving inadequate care, etc without the possibility of someone having the choice to end their life legally. It would be my fear that this will eventually be used to systematically select which members of society are to be deemed worthy of life and it may be used to essentially remove those who society sees as ‘less worthy’ or ‘less useful’ without fearing any real consequences.”
Boy, 16:
“On the one hand, the passing of the Bill could be positive for children in the UK because I think people would start to have more honest conversations about death, which would lead to our children being less afraid and confused about the topic.
“However, a seriously negative aspect of the Bill is that it could normalise death as an answer to suffering, which could persuade our children with serious mental or physical conditions that society sees them as less valuable, which is simply not true.”
Girl, 15:
“I do not agree with assisted dying. I do not need help to die. I need help to live the best life I can live. I find this bill very triggering to me. (…)
“Society is giving me a legal way to give up. Struggling or vulnerable people are being written off. It’s like normalising getting rid of certain members of society.
“If assisted dying does become law then who gets to decide what pain and suffering is? Is it physical or mental or both? Poor mental health leads to poor physical health and poor physical health can lead to poor mental health. Imagine how many people at the worst stage of their life would choose to die rather than live. This bill allows people to give up. For example with no support from CAMHS or post adoption it’s easy to want to give up. For me I have to believe things get better even through trauma.
“Every life deserves support. Even painful ones. Hopeless lives need care not gaslighting or a shortcut to the end. (…)
“Instead of assisting me with dignity and control over my death I need dignity and control over my life.
“Respectfully the adults who are calling for this bill to be made legal are the same people who neglect my health needs now. They have already shown me what they think of my life and now they are showing me what they think of my death. Fix the health service and there won’t be a need to ‘help’ vulnerable people to die. Where there’s life there is hope.
“Life can be messy and it can be difficult. But if we are alive we still have choices and hope and time.”
“As a young person, the Assisted Dying Bill presents a complex and emotional topic. While we often think of end-of-life decisions as something far off or unrelated to youth, it actually touches our generation in important ways.
Boy, 16:
“Many young people today care deeply about bodily autonomy, dignity, and mental health. The bill raises crucial ethical questions about how society respects individual choices, especially when someone is suffering unbearably with no hope of recovery. It also challenges us to think about how we care for the vulnerable and how we make sure protections are in place so that no one feels pressured into such a decision.
“For young people who have watched loved ones suffer through painful illnesses, the bill can feel like a compassionate step forward. At the same time, it also raises fears about the message we send to those who are struggling — especially in a society still fighting to destigmatise mental health issues.
“Ultimately, as the next generation of leaders and voters, it’s important that we engage with this topic thoughtfully. We need to ensure any legislation truly protects people, honours choice, and promotes care, not just convenience. This bill isn’t just about death — it’s about how we value life, dignity, and support in moments of greatest need.”
