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Anne Longfield’s tenure as Children’s Commissioner for England ends at the end of February 2021. In her last speech as Children’s Commissioner, she will argue that children should be at the heart of the country’s efforts to rebuild following the Covid crisis.

Date: Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Time: 10:30 am – 12 noon
Where: Online webinar

Speakers

Anne Longfield
Anne Longfield OBE
Children’s Commissioner for England
Robert Halfon
Rt. Hon Robert Halfon MP
Chair of the Education Select Committee
Louise Casey
Baroness Dame Louise Casey

Building back better

After an unprecedented year in which most children have missed half a year of school, and many children in the most disadvantaged areas significantly more, the Commissioner will argue that our efforts to rebuild need to include tackling long-standing failures in the way we support children and their families.

Presenting new analysis of the links between children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities, children receiving Free School Meals and children open to social work, the speech will highlight the millions of children who are being left behind in England. The speech will also reflect on her six years as Children’s Commissioner making the case for these children within Government, and argue why the Commissioner believes Government has consistently failed to understand or respond to these children, as well as what needs to be be done for this to change.

The speech will be followed by two responses, each on the topic of England’s left behind children, from the Rt. Hon Robert Halfon MP, Chair of the Education Select Committee, and Baroness Dame Louise Casey.