Coronavirus, children and you
Today is the start of a school week like no other
Today is the start of a school week like no other. For millions of children across the country who are starting home schooling or who are still going into a very different version of school, it will feel very strange. For those staying at home, it will be their first experience of a home education. […]
Calling on the Chancellor for emergency support for families during the coronavirus outbreak
As the Government announces ongoing measures to tackle coronavirus, the Children’s Commissioner for England Anne Longfield has written to the Chancellor Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP about his plans to help the vulnerable through the crisis, and to ask for improved measures to get that help where it’s most needed. Download and view the letter […]
Supporting children during the coronavirus outbreak
Anybody would be forgiven for being anxious and uncertain about what the coming months may bring. For children, that anxiety is real too. While it is a relief that the virus does not seem to make most children unwell, children are aware of the possible impact on them – like schools having to close or […]
Letters to the Permanent Secretaries for the DfE and MHCLG regarding COVID-19 and children in care
The following are two letters sent from the Children’s Commissioner to the Permanent Secretaries for the Department for Education and Ministry of Housing, Local Government and Communities regarding COVID-19 and children in care. Download and view the letter, sent to both Jeremy Pocklington and Jonathan Slater Find the full text of the letters below; Dear […]
Health inequalities briefing
Last week’s ‘Marmot Report: 10 Years On’ outlined the stark realities of health inequalities in Britain. It also demonstrated how these inequalities originate in childhood and persist through adult life. This paper highlights some of the main inequalities in child health, and the key responses to address this. Including measures we would like to see […]
Families living with no recourse to public funds
Certain vulnerable children in England cannot receive free school meals because their eligibility is linked to their parent’s immigration status. Free school meals are provided in all state schools for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. From Year 3 onwards, parents can apply for free school meals if they claim certain state benefits. […]
Responding to the DfE’s announcement on children in care living in unregulated accommodation
Anne Longfield, Children’s Commissioner for England, responding to the Department for Education’s announcement on children in care living in unregulated accommodation, said: “Banning the use of unregulated accommodation for under 16s and new national standards for unregulated accommodation that require registration with Ofsted are long overdue. I have heard horror stories about very vulnerable children […]
Responding to the multi-agency report on children sexually abused within the family
Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England, responding to the multi-agency report on children sexually abused within the family, said: “In 2015, I published a report warning that the vast majority of children who have been sexually abused at home were not known to the authorities and that a system which waits for children to […]
Tackling harmful content on Facebook – Anne Longfield’s letter to Facebook’s Head of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg
The following open letter to Nick Clegg, Facebook’s Head of Global Affairs, was published in The Daily Telegraph on Jan 30, 2020. Dear Sir Nick, I was very interested to hear the interview you gave the BBC from Davos as Facebook’s Head of Global Affairs. You were discussing concerns I have been raising about your […]
The state of children’s mental health services – Local area maps
2018/19 Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) levels of five key indicators used to assess children’s mental health services
The state of children’s mental health services 2018/19
Children are now more aware of their own mental health, and much more prepared to discuss it. This is very welcome. But children are also aware of how hard it is to get help, for them or for their friends. Accessing services remains the biggest issue for children’s mental health services. The stories I hear […]
Archived Content
Pass the parcel: children posted around the care system
“I feel like a parcel getting moved around all the time, getting opened up and sent back and moved on to somewhere else.” Teenage girl, in care over 100 miles from home There are over 30,000 looked after children living ‘out of area’ in England. This is 41% of all children in care and has […]
Thousands of children in care passed around the system like parcels and living miles away from family and friends
Shining a light on the experiences of children in care who are moved ‘out of area’ – away from their home boroughs where family and friends live.
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Marking 30 years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child with call on political parties to put the spotlight on children during election campaign
Anne Longfield, Children’s Commissioner for England, is calling on the political parties fighting the General Election to put the spotlight on children’s issues, as she joins the Children’s Commissioners for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, in publishing an assessment of the UK’s progress on children’s rights. This month marks the 30th anniversary of the UN […]
UK Children’s Commissioners’ UNCRC mid-term review
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, a landmark agreement by governments around the world on the rights of children. As Children’s Commissioners it is central to our mission to make sure that those rights are made a reality for all children. The United Nations […]
Response to the Home and Foreign Secretaries regarding British children in Syria
Earlier this year Anne Longfield, Children’s Commissioner for England, wrote to the Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary regarding the safety and welfare of British children who have become involved in the conflict in Syria. The following is the Children Commissioner for England’s latest response to Dominic Raab, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Office […]
Nurture with nature: Why environmental engagement is imperative for children
We know that the health of the environment is one of children’s greatest concerns, as outlined in Issue 1 of our Children’s Insights reports. The word ‘environment’ is likely to stir a very different reaction amongst children than it used to. Many children face the incompatible situation of a lifestyle divorced from nature, and mounting […]
EU children in Britain
This page was published in 2019 and may contain out of date information. Know your rights to stay in Britain If you are an EU citizen living in Britain, Brexit will affect your rights. This means you will need to apply for what the Government calls ‘settled status’ in Britain. What is settled status? Settled […]
Children’s insights
This is the first issue in our regular series of insights into the views and experiences of children in England.
Changes to gambling laws needed as our report into online gaming reveals children’s gambling fears
Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England, has published a report, “Gaming the system’’ which looks at the experiences of children who play games online. The Children’s Commissioner’s Office commissioned the research company Revealing Reality to speak to groups of children who play online games like FIFA, Fortnite and Roblox about what they love and what […]
