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
Anne Longfield responds to the Government’s announcement on knife crime
Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England, responding to the Government’s announcement on knife crime, said: “It is right that knife crime is seen as a public health issue, and that there is a duty put on those whose job it is to keep children safe to do so. “While this is a step forward, […]
Former Home Secretary and member of Children’s Commissioner advisory board Jacqui Smith responds to our vulnerability report
In April we celebrated the first year of the Sandwell Children’s Trust. In 2017, OFSTED found that services for the most vulnerable children and families in Sandwell were inadequate so the Trust was set up to drive improvement. I’m enormously proud of the progress we’re making. OFSTED have praised the grip and leadership of our […]
Childhood vulnerability in England 2019
The Children’s Commissioner’s 2019 childhood vulnerability report examines the latest scale of, and trends over time in, rates of childhood vulnerability. As with last year, we have estimated the total number of children in England currently receiving statutory support or intervention (those who are ‘in the system’). Based on the latest available data, we believe […]
Multi-billion pound tax cut promises from Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt should instead go on mending broken childhoods
Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England, has launched her third annual Vulnerability Report.
Children in families at risk – Local area maps
These maps present our projected proportions of children living in households where an adult has any of the so called ‘toxic trio’ factors present, or where multiple factors exist in the same household.
About the data
The data shows the overall levels of vulnerability and need among children and young people in England, published in our annual Vulnerability Report. We’ve spoken with children and young people, as well as organisations who work with children, to help us choose which groups to include and how to describe them. This has led to […]
IMO
IMO is a voice for teenagers in care and for care leavers. It is somewhere you can share stories, experiences and achievements, get and give advice, and find loads of great free stuff!
Digital 5 a day
Easy to follow, practical steps for children and parents to achieve a healthy and balanced digital diet
The paralysis currently affecting much of Whitehall and Westminster is letting down Children in Need
Anne Longfield responds to the government’s Children in Need review
Universal Credit – “Children are going hungry. It’s not a myth, it’s a fact.”
As Universal Credit rolls out across the country, we have been checking in regularly with a foodbank in an area which is transitioning to UC to see if there has been any noticeable impact on the number of families with children using their services. In our final instalment of this series, Linda, who runs a food bank in a […]
