Knowledge & Resource Hub

This report should not have to exist. Shining a light on children’s experiences of poverty in 2025, in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, should not be necessary. And yet, the findings in this work highlight real hardship; an almost-Dickensian level of poverty facing some children in England today. After four years as […]

As Children’s Commissioner I strongly believe that every child has the right to an excellent education no matter who they are or where they live. Young people have also told me how important a good education is to them. Over the last four years I have heard from a million children through my surveys, The […]

As Children’s Commissioner, it is my job to make sure we never lose sight of the biggest challenges affecting children – mental health is one of the most significant. Each year, I publish this report to shine a spotlight on the state of children’s mental health services in England.   This is the fourth report of […]

As Children’s Commissioner, it is my greatest privilege to listen to children and to amplify their voices on the issues that matter most to them — both those that affect them directly, and those that may appear, at first glance, to lie beyond their immediate experience. At the heart of my role, as defined in […]

The growth of the online world is a technological revolution, the likes of which hasn’t been witnessed in centuries. The internet has enhanced our lives immeasurably, by opening up education, communication and research in ways those of us who are now well into our adulthoods might never have imagined. For children growing up in 2025, […]

Over the last four years, I have spoken to a million young people and thousands of parents about the most pressing issues facing children growing up in England today. One issue that comes up time and again – from children, parents, and professionals alike – is online safety. While digital technology provides young people with […]

I’ve designed a version of my Business Plan aimed specifically for children and young people, sharing the projects and themes that my office will be working on. As Children’s Commissioner for England, it is my job to listen to you and take your voices to decision makers. In my survey, The Big Ambition, only one […]

The year ahead – 2025-26 – will be my penultimate year as Children’s Commissioner for England. It will also mark 20 years since the establishment of this office – a milestone that offers an opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made and a reminder about the many urgent challenges that remain. More than […]

Every child should have a loving, secure home, but when it comes to housing, children get a raw deal.   Thousands of children are living in temporary accommodation, including many in emergency ‘B&B’ style accommodation for longer than the statutory six-week limit1 – and they are paying the price of this disruption and instability in their […]

Since becoming Children’s Commissioner nearly four years ago, I’ve made it my mission to listen to young people in some of the most challenging circumstances, facing the most uncertain futures.   Children living in secure settings are at the sharpest end of this definition. Their numbers are small, with around 400 at any one time located […]

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 […]

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 […]