The Big Conversation: Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester Â
As Children’s Commissioner, I hear directly from children and young people about the importance their communities play in their lives – providing them with a sense of belonging, support and safety, as well as opportunities to learn, grow, and build meaningful connections with others. Children tell me how the community they live in can enrich […]
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Children’s Commissioner’s Written Evidence
The Children’s Commissioner welcomes the opportunity to submit written evidence to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill Committee. This evidence builds on oral evidence provided by the Children’s Commissioner on 21 January, on a wider briefing on the Bill that was provided to the Committee and published on the Children’s Commissioner’s website, and on prior […]
Safer Internet Day 2025
Safer Internet Day serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing challenge to create an online world where children and young people feel safe, included and empowered. As Children’s Commissioner, I have heard from thousands of children about their experiences of the online world: the impact the internet has on their lives, how social media […]
Children’s Mental Health Week 2025
This week has marked Children’s Mental Health week, which this year takes on the theme of Know Yourself, Grow Yourself. It highlights the importance of self-awareness in developing resilience, confidence and emotion wellbeing. Mental health is an issue that comes up in almost every conversation I have with children, whether it’s around long waiting times […]
Equal protection from assault for children – Briefing for the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
The Children’s Commissioner wants England to be the best place for children to grow up. Every child should be safe, healthy and happy – and not live in fear. However currently in England, children are the only people who are not fully protected in law from assault and battery. The ‘reasonable punishment’ defence in common […]
The Big Conversation Podcast – Episode 4 – Rachel Treweek Bishop of Gloucester
The Big Conversation: In conversation with the Children’s Commissioner and her youth Ambassadors is my podcast series where I share the voices and views of England’s children. The podcast draws on the themes in The Big Ambition and will focus on the most important issues that are impacting young people’s lives, with solutions developed with […]
Statement from the Children’s Commissioner ahead of the inquiry into the Southport murders
As Children’s Commissioner my longstanding and fundamental position is that children must first and foremost be treated as such. No child should be sentenced to spend their whole life in prison, if at all, and every interaction with the youth justice system for a child should be an opportunity for rehabilitation. They need to leave […]
Press Notice: Deep distrust of the police and lack of opportunity as drivers in children’s motivation to take part in last summer’s riots
Unique research by the Children’s Commissioner’s Office found that young people who took part in last summer’s riots were not primarily driven by social media misinformation or racism but by curiosity of the events, deep distrust of the police or the lack of opportunities in their community. Dame Rachel de Souza used her statutory powers […]
Children’s involvement in the 2024 riots
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 […]
Statement from the Children’s Commissioner on the Second Reading of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
The scrutiny by Parliament to any new Bill is an essential part of the legislative process. I welcome the amendments introduced and look forward to engaging further on the additional detail underpinning the Bill’s measures. My job as Children’s Commissioner is to reflect children’s views to decision makers and challenge them to be as ambitious […]
Statement from the Children’s Commissioner on the sentencing of Axel Rudakubana
My heart goes out to the families of the three girls murdered in Southport and to the other children and adults who were injured in the horrific attack last July. The incredibly distressing statements that have been read out in court during the sentencing highlight the ongoing impact these horrific, violent crimes have had on […]
Statement from the Children’s Commissioner on plans set out by the Home Secretary to look again at cases of child abuse by grooming gangs
Behind every one of the terrible headlines that have resurfaced these past weeks is a child who has been failed and a system that has sidelined their experience and their voice. Holding local services accountable for how they protect the most vulnerable children is essential but must also be supported by strong national leadership. Any […]
Archived Content
Improving the living situation of children living in secure accommodation
Anne Longfield, Children’s Commisioner for England, has written to Vicky Ford MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families, Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State, Ministry of Justice and Nadine Dorries MP, Minister for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health regarding concerns about children in living in secure accommodation, particularly those […]
Children in custody during lockdown
Since the start of the Covid pandemic, the Children’s Commissioner’s Office has investigated and highlighted concerns about the treatment of children in secure settings. Our briefing in May used data collected from the Youth Custody Service (YCS) alongside a series of interviews with children to shine a light on conditions for children in custody during […]
Help at Hand annual report 2020
Our 2020 annual report for Help at Hand, our advice line for children in care.
Response to the DfE’s announcement on unregulated accommodation for children in care
Anne Longfield, responding to the DfE’s announcement on unregulated accommodation for children in care, said: “The Government’s ban on unregulated provision for under-16s in care is very welcome, but needs to go further and include all under-18s. There are too many teenage children in care living in completely unsuitable and sometimes dangerous accommodation, including hostels […]
Five things you need to know about SEN in schools
How children’s needs are met (or go unmet) in schools, and the implications of these for the SEND Review and other reforms
Building back better
When I became Children’s Commissioner for England six years ago, I set out an ambitious vision for a nation where childhood is understood and celebrated and where the voice of all children is listened to at the heart of Government. I had in mind a particular group of children who, in my experience of working […]
Building back better – Anne Longfield’s final speech as Children’s Commissioner
 Anne Longfield, Children’s Commissioner for England, has delivered her final speech in post with a challenge to the Prime Minister to show he is serious about children by putting them at the heart of his post-Covid plans. Her speech warned that the Prime Minister’s promise to ‘level up’ will be ‘just a slogan unless […]
Speech
Characteristics of children entering care for the first time as teenagers
Last year, research from my office showed that even before the pandemic, there were 120,000 highly vulnerable children in England who were falling through the gaps in education and social care. This group of children – equivalent to 1 in 25 13-17 year olds – all had significant additional needs and vulnerabilities but were not […]
Spend over £25,000: 2020 – 2021
We publish details of all spending over £25,000 on a quarterly basis. 1 April 2020 – 30 June 2020 Nil 1 July 2020 – 30 September 2020 Transaction date Merchant name Transaction amount Entity Details 14/08/2020 National Audit Office £33,600.00 OCC External Audit Services 1 October 2020 – 31 December 2020 Nil 1 January 2021 […]
Still not safe
The public health response to youth violence
