My
priorities

As soon as I stepped into office, I set out to listen to the voices of as many children as possible.

I wanted to know how children felt about the issues most affecting them, to amplify their voices outside their communities, and to deliver improved life chances for this generation and beyond.

To do this, my office conducted ‘The Big Ask’ survey. This was answered by half a million children across England, making it the biggest survey of its kind.

The Big Ask told us what children want and need urgently and longer term. A striking aspect of the data collected was that across age, gender, ethnicity, family income levels, location, and vulnerable groups, what children want is remarkably consistent. They want a good home life, a good education, a job, enough money, friends, to feel well, to be treated fairly and to look after the environment.